


Decerto: Road to Freedom

by saengie, YeonAh



Series: Signs [2]
Category: Super Junior-M, U-KISS
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, Hybrids, M/M, Revolution, Slavery, gladiator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-07-04 19:02:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 191,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15847428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saengie/pseuds/saengie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/YeonAh/pseuds/YeonAh
Summary: Taking place six years before the events of Decerto, the story of how a human and a slave started a revolution.





	1. Chapter 1

The breeding house at the edge of Bucheon had a funny smell to it. Dirt, sweat, musk, and a fair amount of cleaner attempting to cover it up. It wasn't particularly well-maintained, even the areas that were supposed to be kept for visitors showing signs of wear. It was up to the imagination how the rest of the place looked. Visitors weren't let in further than the viewing gallery.

"And here we are," spoke an old, balding man as he pushed the doors open to the gallery, leading his guest inside. "All Signs of the proper age have been gathered for you. Their prices and specialties vary."

Lined up along one wall of the long gallery were various teenage boys and girls, heads bowed and hands clasped in front of them. They all looked human, but they weren't. They were marked by the collars around their necks for what they were: Signs. 

"Here's one that might interest you," the balding man had a grating voice. He pointed at a young girl near their end of the row, the teenager standing stock-still and staring at the floor. "Female boar, fifteen years of age. She's in the best of health, semi-literate, perfect for labor or breeding." 

The visitor made a show of looking the girl up and down, taking her hands and squeezing them, lifting her chin to look in her eyes. "No," he quipped, moving on to the next. Or rather, he moved on down the line and shook his head at each one. "I'm not looking for someone who can do chores or to start a breeding house with. I need... something _unique_." The visitor looked back at the old man. "Have anything like that?"

"Certainly," the breeding house representative replied, gaze searching the line of Signs. "What would you be searching for in particular? I have several well-trained fighters eager for the rings, such as this tiger," he motioned to a sandy-haired boy. "Sixteen years, top of his pride. We also have rabbits available if you're looking for a more _personal_ slave." 

"I'm not looking for anything in particular, but I will know it when I see it," the visitor said, crossing his arms. "I'm not looking for a bedwarmer, or a fighter." Walking up and down the line slowly, he shook his head. "No, none of these will do. Don't you have anything else?"

The representative looked like he was struggling a little. "These are all our current stock, sir. I could bring in next year's stock for you, but they won't be available for purchase until they are of age, as is law." There was a quiet snicker from the far end of the line, nearly inaudible. 

Not quite nearly inaudible as the visitor turned and looked up and down the line for whoever was snickering. "Who was that?" he asked, starting down towards the end of the line of slaves, looking each one of them in the eye. At the far end that he hadn't gone down to, he stopped at the very last slave. "Was that you?" he asked with a smile.

The Sign in question was older than the others, tall and lanky. The breeding house standard issue clothes hung off his frame, his skin just a touch too pale. When the visitor stopped in front of him, his expression went blank.

"Ah, I wouldn't suggest this one," the representative said, following the visitor hurriedly. "Indigo snake, eighteen years of age. He's trained for the ring, but requires...a firm hand, not ideal for a first purchase," he continued, as the snake lifted his head. Dark eyes met the human's through unkempt bangs. 

"A snake?" the visitor confirmed, tilting his head slightly. "And eighteen, he's been here a while then... I'll take him. What's your name?"

The snake eyed the human across from him, the silence stretching on. "I would truly advise against this one," the representative was continuing. "He has pre-existing medical conditions and snakes are not the ideal first purchase, perhaps you would like one of our dogs instead?"

"KyuHyun," the snake murmured as the representative tried to distract the visitor, his voice strong and defiant. 

"Hi KyuHyun, my name's Zhou Mi," the visitor said, ignoring the older man who was still talking. "I've made up my mind. I said I wanted something unique, and he is by far the most unique here. I'm sure whatever conditions he has are in his file?"

"That is— yes, they are," the old man stuttered briefly. "If you are certain... very well, if you would join me in my office for the purchase?" Guards came forward to usher the rest of the slaves out of the room. The snake KyuHyun stayed where he was, head bowed again, but for an instant there was the bare hint of a smirk on his lips. 

Zhou Mi gave KyuHyun one more glance over before he followed the old man from the room. The signing of papers was an easy task, but tedious. Form after form Zhou Mi scribbled his signature on before he was handed KyuHyun's file and ownership papers. "So what sort of medical condition does he have?" he asked, flipping through the file. "He's not going to die on me in a month I hope."

"He has asthma attacks regularly," the breeding house representative replied, hands folded in front of him. "He's trained at a slower pace than the rest of his clutch, but he does have strong elemental control and can still be an asset in the ring." 

"I already said he won't be used as a fighter," Zhou Mi waved him off, getting to his feet. "Well then, thank you for your time. Will you have him brought out to my car?"

"Of course sir, thank you for your business," the older man stood, bowing his head to Zhou Mi before showing him out of the office. He nodded to one of the guards, who stepped into the gallery they had left previously.

By the time Zhou Mi was at his car, the guard was bringing KyuHyun to the door, shoving the slave ahead when KyuHyun slowed. 

"Excuse you, do not shove him," Zhou Mi frowned at the guard, opening the back door for KyuHyun. "I can have you arrested for injuring my personal property."

The guard mumbled an apology, nodding his head before heading back to the breeding house. KyuHyun eyed Zhou Mi from under his bangs, sizing the man up, before he got into the car. 

Zhou Mi slid in next to him, shutting the door and instructing the driver to go. Organizing the paperwork in his lap, Zhou Mi smiled brightly at the snake. "So, I think you'll be very happy being out of the breeding house. And despite what you've been trained for you won't be a fighter. I have some very big plans for you, aren't you excited? I'm excited."

The snake's expression was guarded as he watched Zhou Mi talk, sitting as far in the seat as he could from the other man. "What plans?" he asked after a short pause, eyes narrowed slightly. 

"I'm a graduate student at the university, and I'm writing my dissertation on the effects of environmental upbringing on signs and their psychology," Zhou Mi said cheerily. "My hope is that I can get it published as a paper in the effort to help signs get equal rights."

The corner of KyuHyun's mouth twitched at that, but his expression remained blank as he looked Zhou Mi up and down. A cynical "ch" was the only response to Zhou Mi's words, the snake looking away. 

Zhou Mi's expression faltered slightly, reorganizing the papers in his lap again. "Well, I can understand if you don't want to believe me. Not many humans care about signs rights yet, but I do. I'll just have to convince you."

The snake didn't reply to that, lips pressed in a thin line as he watched the world go by outside the car window. Finally he turned to Zhou Mi again, blank expression at odds with the hostility in his dark eyes. "Why did you _really_ buy me, master?" he asked. 

"I... thought I just said?" Zhou Mi blinked at him. "I needed a subject for my dissertation. I guess I could have just used one of my father's slaves, but I thought it would have more of an impact if I bought one out of the breeding house directly. Though, you're a little older than I had imagined, it will still work. Why is it you were still there? Was it because of your medical problem? Asthma is such a small thing that can be easily treated."

KyuHyun's lips twisted. "Signs don't get medical treatment," he drawled. "Why would a fighting house pay for a slave who'll die of an attack first time in the ring." His eyes challenged Zhou Mi to try countering that. 

"Who says a fighting house would be the only ones needing a snake?" Zhou Mi frowned at that. "Snakes aren't even that popular of fighters, and difficult to train. Besides, I bought you didn't I?"

"And what are you going to do with me when your school work is done? Am I going to be put down?" 

Zhou Mi looked aghast at the suggestion, shaking his head. "No, of course not," he said firmly. "I'm trying to help signs gain equal rights, it would not be in my best interest, or yours, to put you down. No... my intention is to give you your freedom."

KyuHyun's reaction was clear disbelief, another "ch" escaping. "Forgive me if I don't hold my breath, master." He looked away. 

"Probably wouldn't be a good idea to hold your breath anyway," Zhou Mi said, smiling a little. "You'd just pass out. Ah, we're here," he glanced out the window as the car slowed to a stop outside a building in the midst of downtown. "Ready to see your first real home?"

The snake was silent at that, biting the inside of his cheek rather than answer Zhou Mi's question. He wordlessly got out once the car had stopped, walking around the vehicle to open Zhou Mi's door. 

Climbing out when the door was opened, Zhou Mi's bright smile never left his face as he strode towards the building. "I was thinking, after we get you settled in your room we can get you some new clothes? Get some lunch, talk a bit. Have you ever been outside the breeding house before?"

"No," KyuHyun replied, falling into step behind Zhou Mi. He kept his head bowed, but took in his surroundings through his bangs with a mixture of wariness and curiosity. 

"Oh, then I think a tour of the city is in order as well," Zhou Mi said, breezing through the doors that were opened for them, heading towards the elevator. "But I'm sure that can wait until tomorrow once you've had a full night's rest."

"Why?" KyuHyun asked, eyes narrowed slightly as he followed Zhou Mi. He kept his distance from the human as they stopped at the elevator, situating himself out of arm's reach but close enough he wouldn't be yelled at. 

"Hm? Why what?" Zhou Mi blinked, glancing at him. "Why take you on a tour of the city? Because you should know where it is you live."

KyuHyun met Zhou Mi's eyes before looking away, not saying anything to that. He followed Zhou Mi into the elevator once it opened, standing in the corner out of the way. 

The ride up wasn't quiet, Zhou Mi chattering on to fill the silence. He wouldn't admit to the snake that he was nervous about how this would go, especially since KyuHyun seemed so resistant. Not that he could blame the slave; humans hadn't been kind to him.

The elevator opened and Zhou Mi started down the hall, motioning for KyuHyun to follow him to the door at the end. "I do hope you'll like it here," he said, unlocking the door and heading in first. It was a loft space, open from wall to wall and floor to ceiling windows all the way across. "Plenty of sun for you to stretch out under."

Following him in, KyuHyun looked around the room, taking in the furnishings and the large windows. He closed the door behind them, but stayed in the doorway rather than move further into the room. For the first time the snake looked apprehensive and awkward; having lived at the breeding house his whole life, this was foreign to him, and he didn't know what he was supposed to do now. 

Zhou Mi was bustling around the room, setting down the files on his desk. It took him a moment to notice that KyuHyun hadn't moved and he looked at the snake with a bright smile. "Well? Come in, you don't need to stand there like a piece of furniture. Come in, look around. Would you like to see your space?"

Looking from Zhou Mi to around the room, KyuHyun slipped off his worn shoes and slowly made his way further into the room. "My space?" He eyed Zhou Mi, hands clasped tightly in front of him. 

"Yes, obviously I won't have a room specifically," Zhou Mi said, motioning towards the far end of the loft. "But you have a bed and a dresser, and some curtains for privacy," he said, pushing back a curtain to show the small space up against the wall.

KyuHyun followed Zhou Mi to the small space set up for him, taking in everything. After a minute he nodded and looked away, glancing around the rest of the room. He stepped up to the large window, looking down at the bustling streets below. 

"My room is upstairs," Zhou Mi said, pointing to the stairs and the loft space above. "There's only the one bathroom as well, which is off the kitchen. Are you hungry? We could have some lunch."

Jaw working, the snake looked at Zhou Mi after a moment. "I'm fine, master," he said slowly, turning away from the window. 

"...Okay," Zhou Mi's eyes tightened a little, but the smile was fixed. "How about some clothes then? I think I have some things of mine that could fit you. Oh, we'll need to do something about that collar as well. Come with me," he motioned for KyuHyun to follow as he started up the stairs.

KyuHyun's eyes shadowed over, one hand touching the metal collar tight around his neck. He followed Zhou Mi, keeping his head down as he climbed the stairs after the human. 

By the time KyuHyun had joined him, Zhou Mi was already digging through his closet, throwing things onto the bed. "Some of these might be too long in the pant, but we can have them hemmed," he said, tossing out a pair of pants. "Go ahead, pick anything you like."

It was impossible to tell what KyuHyun was thinking, looking from the growing pile on the bed to Zhou Mi. He didn't move for a long moment, waiting to see if Zhou Mi would change his mind. When the human didn't say anything, the snake looked at the pile on the bed again, reaching out and picking up a pair of pants. His fingers ran over the material as he glanced up at Zhou Mi warily. 

When Zhou Mi emerged from the closet with an armful of shirts, he stopped and looked at KyuHyun. "You like those? I think I know the perfect shirt to match," he said, dumping the shirts on the bed and rifling through them before picking out a gray and white striped sweater. "Here, go try these on," he said, pushing the sweater towards him.

Blinking repeatedly at the sweater being shoved at him, KyuHyun took it from the human, looking down at the clothes in his arms. "Where?" he asked, frowning lightly as he looked up at Zhou Mi. 

"Well... uh... anywhere?" Zhou Mi shrugged, sorting through the clothes. "You can use your room, or the bathroom, or even right here. Up to you."

KyuHyun looked around the bedroom loft before turning back to the stairs, taking the opportunity to get away from his new owner for a bit.

He reappeared wearing the new clothes a minute later, stepping a little on the bottom of the pants as he walked. He held onto the clothes from the breeding house, looking down at his new outfit. 

Having organized the clothes into two piles, Zhou Mi was folding things on the bed when KyuHyun returned. "Oh... now don't you look nice," he grinned, getting to his feet. "Do you feel better being out of those... lovely... clothes?"

KyuHyun frowned as he looked down at the worn, grey clothes in his hands. The material was rough and itched to no end. "What do I do with them?" he asked, belatedly adding "master" to the end of the sentence. 

"Burn them." Was Zhou Mi's initial response, but he gave a small shake of his head and smiled. "We can just throw them out. You're not going to need them anymore because you're not going back there again. Here." Jumping to his feet, Zhou Mi pulled the waste bin from the side of the room and put it right in front of KyuHyun. "Throw them away."

The snake looked down at the waste bin, glancing from it to the clothes in his hands. His shoulders straightened and he dropped the breeding house clothes into the bin, the material making a satisfying thump as it hit the bottom of the bin. The corners of KyuHyun's lips quirked slightly, the half-smile disappearing as quickly as it appeared. 

"There, one down, one to go," Zhou Mi said, taking a step towards him. "Now, I think it's time to be rid of that collar. It can't be comfortable."

KyuHyun's eyes snapped back up to Zhou Mi, fingers twitching as he resisted touching the sharp-edged collar around his neck again. "Your family's collar won't be any different," he said. 

"No, my family's collar wouldn't be any different," Zhou Mi acknowledges, meeting KyuHyun's gaze. "But we're not putting you in one of my family's collars. You'll have something else. Unless you want to keep that one on and not have the nice soft leather one I have in mind?"

The snake's eyes widened slightly. A leather collar was easy to break and remove. It didn't even have safeguards in case the sign went on a rampage or tried to attack.

"...Why?" KyuHyun asked, eyes narrowing again. 

"Because I believe any relationship starts with trust," Zhou Mi said, reaching forward to unlock the collar. "And if I show you my trust in you, then maybe one day you'll be able to trust me as well."

KyuHyun twitched when Zhou Mi's hand touched his collar, stopping the instinctive urge to move away. With a dull click the collar unlocked and was pulled away from his neck. The snake looked down at the metal collar in Zhou Mi's hands uncomprehendingly, one hand lifting and pressing against his chapped and scarred neck. 

"There, now we'll get you cleaned up and the new collar put on," Zhou Mi said, dropping the metal collar into the trash. "This may seem weird to you considering how you were raised, but this is what my dissertation is about. Proving that a sign can be more than a slave."

The collar made a ringing noise as it hit the edges of the bin, before landing softly on the pile of clothes already there. KyuHyun looked down at it, fingers tracing the lines it left behind in his skin.

"What else am I supposed to be?" he asked. 

Bending slightly down so he was eye level with the snake, Zhou Mi smiled. "Anything you want to be. Now it's just a matter of you believing it."

KyuHyun blinked at Zhou Mi, leaning back a little. The confused look quickly washed off his face, expression going carefully blank again. He stepped back away from Zhou Mi, looking away. 

"Ah... I probably should have waited until at least the second day before this talk," Zhou Mi said quietly. "Okay, time for your new collar, and something to eat. Despite what you may say I can tell when someone's hungry. What would you like to eat?"

The snake frowned. "...Food?" He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to that, glancing at Zhou Mi out of the corner of his eyes. 

"... Ah, right," Zhou Mi nodded with a sad smile. "You haven't lived yet, not until you've tried my cooking!" he said, starting for the stairs. "Come on, we'll get your new collar on and then I will show you how cooking can be an art form, and you will fall in love with me just to keep you fed."

KyuHyun followed Zhou Mi to the stairs, his hand still against his neck. He didn't say anything, letting his new owner babble as was proving to be the norm. As they reached the main floor of the apartment, he looked from Zhou Mi to the door, eyes narrowed. 

Going to the desk, Zhou Mi picked up the box he'd set there and turned around. Noticing KyuHyun's look, he sighed a little and walked towards him. "I know what you're thinking," he said, stopping a few paces away. "No collar you could run and be free... but where would you go? How far would you get before the police pick you up?"

The snake's eyes showed he knew already what Zhou Mi was telling him, and it frustrated him. The hand against his neck clenched into a fist and dropped to his side. "...No point." 

"No, but if you stay here, with me," Zhou Mi said, opening up the box and pulling out the black leather collar to show him. "We can make a difference. Together. And one day you'll be able to walk out of here and be free just like you want."

KyuHyun's lips twisted, the snake not believing him still. But he conceded for the moment, stepping forward reluctantly for the new collar to be put on. 

Undoing the buckle on the collar, Zhou Mi placed it around KyuHyun's neck. It was sheep skin lined to be soft and he buckled it loose enough that it wouldn't constrict. "There. I hope that feels better."

The snake took a deep breath, fingers touching the collar around his neck and testing how secure it was.

"...Softer than metal," he mumbled after a moment, looking away. 

"It looks good on you, matches your eyes," Zhou Mi said, taking a step back. "Now, I'll get us some lunch made. You can just... wander around the apartment and get comfortable okay?"

KyuHyun looked back at Zhou Mi again, eyes narrowed. "What am I supposed to _do_?" he asked. "If I'm some...school subject, what is my job? If I'm not a fighter, what am I?" 

"...Do?" Zhou Mi blinked back at him. "Oh... uh... Well I hadn't really thought about it," he admitted, scratching at his arm. "I don't really have a job for you. I mean for the next year I'll be working on _you_ , so I guess I figured you'd be doing what... ever it is snakes do?"

The younger man stared at him in disbelief. "...I'm a _sign_ ," he said slowly. "Snakes do whatever their masters want them to do." 

"Oh... well..." Zhou Mi frowned, a little flustered. "Well I don't know what you _can_ do. I mean I don't need a fighter, and I doubt you'll be happy about trying to cook or clean... You could be my assistant?"

"...What would an assistant do," KyuHyun blinked. 

"...Why do you expect me to know all the answers," Zhou Mi pouted. "I don't know, help me with things? Get me coffee? Give me massages if I stay up too late working?"

KyuHyun frowned at the vague descriptions, looking away. "Very well." He turned away, going to look out the window again. 

"For today though, you can just... relax," Zhou Mi said, watching him. "Consider it a vacation day. I'll get started on food," he said, turning away and heading into the kitchen.

The snake glanced back at Zhou Mi before turning to walk through the apartment. His footsteps slow, he meandered around with his hands in the pockets of his pants, looking around with the same mixture of wariness and curiosity he'd had so far. After he'd looked at everything, KyuHyun was drawn back to the large windows, looking out at the sun overhead and shielding his eyes. 

Preparation for the meal did not take long, Zhou Mi appearing with a pot of ramen within a half hour. Setting it down on the coffee table, he went back to the kitchen to grab bowls and glasses of water. "I hope this is okay, I didn't realize I was so out of food. I think I was too in the clouds over going to the breeding house today to even think about anything else. Is ramen okay?"

KyuHyun jumped, turning away from the window. "...Ramen's fine." He warily approached the table, standing there awkwardly. 

"Good," Zhou Mi beamed, kneeling down and motioning for KyuHyun to do the same. "We'll have something nicer for dinner," he said, handing KyuHyun his chopsticks. "Go ahead, dig in."

Taking the chopsticks, KyuHyun knelt down across from Zhou Mi. He waited for Zhou Mi to start eating before he did, carefully transferring some of the noodles in the pot to his bowl. Trying the noodles, the snake was visibly surprised by the taste. "...This isn't ramen." 

"Hm?" Zhou Mi blinked, eyes wide. "What do you mean? Is there something missing?" he said, poking at the pot with his chopsticks. "Are you used to something else?"

"Ramen tastes like rubber," KyuHyun said flatly, picking up more noodles with his chopsticks. "What is this?" 

"...It tastes like rubber?" Zhou Mi's shoulders slumped. "But... it's not supposed to! I followed the same recipe I always do." Taking a bit of the noodles out of the pot, he cooled them off before quickly started to eat. "These taste fine," he blinked, looking at KyuHyun. "Tastes like normal ramen to me."

KyuHyun frowned. "I meant ramen back in the house tastes like rubber." He shut up after that, just focusing on eating rather than making a fool of himself. 

"Oh... oh.." Zhou Mi deflated a little, poking at the noodles. "I'm sorry... I should know better. It's not like you're the first sign I've ever been around or helped through their first day out of the breeding house. But usually I have other signs to help or my father... You're the first one I'll be taking care of all by myself and it's a little overwhelming."

" _You_ think it's overwhelming," KyuHyun mumbled, barely audible as he ate a little faster, now confident that it was in fact ramen he was eating, even if it was very different from the bland stuff in the breeding house. 

"...You're absolutely right, how incredibly self-absorbed I'm being," Zhou Mi said. "Here I am thinking of myself and how I am absolutely failing at being helpful, but you're getting used to an entirely different world right now. I'm sorry."

Blinking, KyuHyun looked up at him, confused about the turn in the conversation. "...Why are you apologizing?" 

"Because I'm not doing my best in helping you get accustomed to this," Zhou Mi said. "I thought I had everything so perfect, wrote down all my notes and studied so hard before I went to pick out a sign. This hasn't gone as I had hoped so far."

KyuHyun's eyes narrowed slightly at the human, like he was trying to figure out just what was making Zhou Mi tick. Finally he smirked and looked down at his bowl, resuming eating. "Signs aren't something you can study." 

"Anything can be studied," Zhou Mi replied. "I've spent my entire academic career about Sign relations. It's very important to me."

" _Why_?" KyuHyun's head snapped up, his eyes a bright, slitted blue as he stared at Zhou Mi through messy bangs. "Why would you care? How does this affect you in any way? You think you can read all about us in textbooks or by watching slaves do as they're told, but you know nothing about us," he snapped, voice carrying a low hiss. Even as he spoke, he leaned back away from the table and any possible retaliation for speaking out of line. 

Zhou Mi slowly set down his chopsticks, his jaw working as he stared at KyuHyun. "I have my reasons for doing this, not that I expect you to understand. I may not know as much about signs, but that's what this is about. So I can learn. I'm not quite as hungry now, you're welcome to finish." Getting to his feet, Zhou Mi stalked over to the stairs and climbed up, not looking back as he disappeared into the loft above.

KyuHyun watched him go, eyes shifting into black again slowly. He didn't relax for a long minute after Zhou Mi had disappeared, exhaling and closing his eyes.

It was all an elaborate trick, he knew. Humans didn't care about signs, never had. And that wasn't going to change.

He didn't really want to be punished for not working (though his outspoken remark would probably do that for him anyways), so the snake stood up and gathered together all the dishes on the table to clean up. 

********************2

After two days and three nights, Zhou Mi was sure he had made a mistake. He had wanted someone who was unique, a little outspoken and not already beaten down into submission. All of which made for tense days and awkward conversations. It wasn't anything specific that KyuHyun would do, but Zhou Mi felt anxious around the snake, like he was waiting for Zhou Mi to slip up.

On the third morning, Zhou Mi woke up at his usual pre-dawn time in an extra cheery mood. Today was the day he was going to have a break through. He had stayed up well into the night planning and he knew this would work to finally have a meaningful conversation with KyuHyun. 

"KyuHyun! It's time to get up," Zhou Mi said, pushing back the curtains around KyuHyun's partition. "We are going to have a nice pleasant breakfast and then I thought we could go to the park."

KyuHyun woke up with a jolt, sitting upright in the bed. He blinked repeatedly before waking up enough to figure out what was going on. "...What?" He asked, wincing as he rubbed his eyes to clear the sleep from them. 

"We're going to the park today," Zhou Mi repeated, still smiling brightly. "And then I think we should go shopping. I am in desperate need of new shoes, and it looks like you could use some too, as well as a coat because winter will be on us very soon. So, get up, get washed up and we'll have a very nice breakfast okay?"

Peering up at Zhou Mi blearily, KyuHyun nodded before slowly climbing out of bed. Mornings were one of the few times the snake wasn't questioning everything Zhou Mi said or watching him suspiciously, mostly because the snake took a while to wake up completely. He stumbled to the dresser to try and find one of the sets of clothes Zhou Mi had given him. 

"Maybe we should get you a haircut while we're out too," Zhou Mi frowned, eyeing KyuHyun as he stumbled around.

"My hair?" KyuHyun pushed the unkempt bangs out of his eyes for the umpteenth time. "...I guess." 

"Yes, hair cut definitely in order," Zhou Mi nodded. "Hurry with that shower, I'll be waiting!" he called, turning away from the curtain and humming his way to the kitchen to finish up the breakfast he'd started.

Mumbling to himself, KyuHyun pulled out clothes at random before heading to the bathroom, closing the door.

He didn't take long in the shower, and was infinitely more awake when he stepped back out of the bathroom. Rubbing his eyes, he went to dump his sleeping clothes on the bed and close the curtains, brushing his damp hair back out of his face. The snake stepped up to the windows, looking up at the sky as the sun slowly started to rise. 

Setting out bowls of rice on the counter, Zhou Mi finished the kimchi pancakes he'd been making and set them on a plate to share between them. "Breakfast is ready. I hope you like this, it's one of my favorite recipes. I still can't believe they didn't even serve kimchi in the breeding houses. It's a staple in this country."

KyuHyun's nose wrinkled slightly as he avoided replying to that, instead turning away from the window to approach the table. He waited for Zhou Mi to kneel down before doing the same, settling across from the human. "...What is it?" He looked at the plate. 

"It's a pancake," Zhou Mi replied, cutting into it with a knife. "Try it before you turn your nose up to it. I think you'll like it."

The snake waited for Zhou Mi to begin eating before doing the same, picking up a piece with his chopsticks. He nibbled on the piece of kimchi pancake, taking a bigger bite once he'd decided he liked it. Not that he had much room to be fussy. "...It's good." 

Zhou Mi grinned at that, cutting up more of the pancake for him before starting on his own. "Good, I like it when a day can start out with a good meal and people are happy. Sets the tone for the whole day. Did you sleep well? I hope I didn't keep you up with my incessant not scribbling and the light."

"I didn't notice," KyuHyun shrugged, shoulders hunched as he focused on eating rather than another awkward conversation. 

"That's good," Zhou Mi said, poking at his food. "You know, you're the first person I've had at my place since I moved here. I don't think I ever got used to being alone. It's nice having someone else here, just to know I'm not completely alone."

"Aren't there other humans in this building?" KyuHyun picked up his bowl of rice. 

"There are, haven't met any of them yet," Zhou Mi said. "There's a nice man across the hall I've seen a couple of times, he has a rooster. Both are absolutely adorable."

"...A rooster?" KyuHyun raised an eyebrow. "Roosters aren't adorable." 

"This one is," Zhou Mi said, a small smile curling on his lips. "That man though... he's very... He's Chinese, like me. I've heard him chastising the rooster in Mandarin though the way the rooster talks I don't think he understands."

"...You speak Mandarin?" KyuHyun frowned, taking in the new information. That would explain the accent he had trouble understanding. 

"Mhm, I was born in China," Zhou Mi said. "My family moved here when I was young because of the tournaments. Better run and funded here than in China."

KyuHyun's eyes narrowed at mention of the tournaments, nodding slowly. He turned back to his food, finishing what was in his bowl quickly and setting his chopsticks down. 

"You know, this may be a perfect opportunity," Zhou Mi said, blissfully unaware of the change in KyuHyun's mood. "I've been meaning to meet my neighbors since I moved in. I think that rooster is the only other sign in the building so maybe I could talk to Mr. Fabulous Head of Hair across the hall about you and the rooster meeting each other. It's good for signs to socialize."

The snake smirked a little, tapping his fingers against the table. "If that is what you think, master. But few signs get along with snakes." 

"From what little I've seen of this rooster, I think he'll be just fine," Zhou Mi said. "So, maybe I can introduce us as we head down to the park. You finished? We can go now."

"I'm finished." KyuHyun automatically stood, gathering up the dishes to bring into the kitchen to wash.

"Leave those, this is the day the maid comes through," Zhou Mi said, finding his wallet and keys.

Blinking, KyuHyun placed the dishes on the counter. "All right." He followed Zhou Mi to the door, pulling his shoes on. 

Shoes on and keys in hand, Zhou Mi opened the door and waited out in the hall for KyuHyun. Once the door was shut he marched down the hall to the other door on that floor and knocked.

The door opened a moment later, a tall Chinese man standing on the other side. He looked between Zhou Mi and KyuHyun before his gaze settled on Zhou Mi. "Hello? You are...oh, yes, you are from across the hall," he smiled. KyuHyun stayed behind Zhou Mi, head bowed. 

"Yes, I'm sorry I haven't come by to introduce myself," Zhou Mi said, bowing politely. "My name is Zhou Mi, I hope we can become friends," he said, the last part in Mandarin.

The other man's smile widened at that. " _My name is Han Geng, it's a pleasure to meet you,_ " he replied in the same language. " _And I apologize for not stopping by either. Would you like to come in?_ " 

"Well... we were headed out shopping, but I think we can save that for a bit," Zhou Mi nodded, stepping in. "This is KyuHyun, I've only had him for a few days and he's still getting used to being out of the breeding house. I noticed you had a rooster and I was hoping that maybe they could spend some time together. KyuHyun could use a friend."

"Oh..." Geng chuckled, glancing over his shoulder as he let them inside. "My rooster is...still asleep, I will wake him up. Nice to meet you, KyuHyun," he nodded to the snake, turning to head further into the loft apartment. "Please, make yourselves at home, I'll be right back." He disappeared upstairs. 

"A rooster still asleep? At this time?" Zhou Mi blinked repeatedly, glancing at KyuHyun. "I have never heard of a rooster sleeping this late."

"It's the crack of dawn," KyuHyun mumbled, rubbing one eye. "Hardly 'late'." 

"Rooster's are generally awake at dawn though," Zhou Mi said with a small frown. "At least, that's what my research says... have you met many roosters? I don't know if different Signs talked to each other in the breeding houses or not."

"There are signs who don't follow the stereotypes," KyuHyun sniffed. "We were kept in with our own races most of the time, but we did mingle every now and then. I'm scared what your 'research' says about snakes." 

"Why?" Zhou Mi blinked at him. "Would you like to know what it is all the books say about snakes? There isn't much actually, snakes and dragons are two signs that haven't been studied as much as other more... friendly si..." he was cut off in mid sentence, glancing towards the stairs.

"Can't believe you pulled me out of bed for this," a shorter man with messy black hair was saying, following Han Geng down. "I'm going right back under those covers as soon as they leave."

"'Rooster's are generally awake at dawn'," KyuHyun mimicked Zhou Mi in a low whisper, eyeing the new arrival with half-hidden amusement.

"We have guests, it's only polite," Geng continued to smile, bringing the half-asleep rooster to the two still in the doorway. "Please, come in, why are you still in the hallway? Meet HeeChul. HeeChul, this is our neighbor Zhou Mi, and KyuHyun." 

"Charmed," HeeChul said, bowing to the two. Zhou Mi frowned at KyuHyun but stepped into the apartment.

"Nice to meet you HeeChul," Zhou Mi said, nodding to the rooster. "I was just telling Han Geng that I was hoping you and KyuHyun would become friends. You're the only two signs I know if in the building and I know it's good to have signs socialized."

"...Is he for real?" HeeChul raised an eyebrow looking at Han Geng. "Seriously, I'm not still dreaming right?"

Geng shook his head, smiling sheepishly. "HeeChul doesn't...socialize much, but you're both welcome to come by whenever you like. We don't speak with many in the building, I don't even know many of my neighbors names." He stepped back, going to sit down on one of the couches. 

"Well I just moved in, but I thought we could at least be friends," Zhou Mi said, sitting down in one of the chairs. "We're neighbors after all, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other in the halls often enough. How long have you lived here?"

"About...two years now, I believe," Han Geng replied. "Three since moving from China. What about you? How long have you been in Korea?" 

"It's been... close to twelve years now," Zhou Mi said, getting comfortable. "I moved here with my family for the tournaments and now I go to school at the university. What do you do?"

"...I'm going back to bed," HeeChul grumbled, turning around and heading towards the stairs.

"...." Han Geng watched him go with a sigh, shaking his head and looking back at Zhou Mi with a smile. "Sorry, mornings are never a pleasant time to hold any kind of conversation with him. He'll be more awake later. I work at the Chinese embassy, it's nice here in Korea." 

"I'm sorry, we can come back later when he's more awake," Zhou Mi said, glancing at KyuHyun briefly before turning back to Han Geng. "I'm just a little surprised you let him talk to you that way."

"What way?" Han Geng blinked. "He's talking to me as another person should." 

A small smile curled up the corners of Zhou Mi's lips and he nodded. "What is it you do at the embassy, Han Geng?" he asked, leaning forward slightly.

"A lot of paperwork," Geng laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "It's a little boring to talk about. And just Geng is fine. What are you studying?" 

"I'm currently in a graduate program, my studies have been focused on Sign rights and advocating for their fair treatment," Zhou Mi said. "I'm in a very small minority there though."

"Interesting." Han Geng glanced at KyuHyun, who was still standing uncomfortably beside the couch. "You'll have to let me know of any new developments...that's a subject that interests me, though I never studied it. I wasn't even aware you _could_ study Sign rights." 

"It's not an approved course," Zhou Mi said, flushing a little. "The official program is about using psychology in training Signs for testing and fighting but I had a number of discussions with my adviser about modifying the program. Maybe we can get together later over coffee, discuss some of what I've been working on?"

"I'd like that," Han Geng nodded with a smile. "I will be back from work by six, you're welcome to come by any time." 

"Sounds good," Zhou Mi grinned, getting back up to his feet. "Well, I'll let you get ready for work then, sorry for bothering you so early. Tell HeeChul it was nice meeting him and we hope to see him again... hopefully more awake."

"I am sorry about that," Geng laughed, standing as well to show them out. "Maybe next time you come by he'll be in the mood to talk." 

"I do hope so," Zhou Mi said, heading out the door first. "And it was of course a pleasure meeting you as well Geng. Ready KyuHyun?"

"Yes master," KyuHyun murmured, following him out of the apartment.

"Have a good day," Geng smiled at them before closing the door after they left. 

Zhou Mi practically vibrated in giddiness as they walked down the hall to the elevator, Zhou Mi stepping in before he exploded. "Wow! He's even more.. and his voice! And! And! He believes in sign rights too and how can anyone be absolutely so perfect," he swooned, leaning up against the wall.

KyuHyun blinked owlishly at the human, standing at the opposite end of the elevator in case crazy was contagious. "...What?" 

"Hm? What what?" Zhou Mi blinked at KyuHyun. "Geng! He's just... so absolutely perfect. What I wouldn't give to run my hands through that hair."

"...Okay." KyuHyun eyed the human. "So you have a crush on that guy? Is that why we went over there?" 

"Well..." Zhou Mi tapped his two index fingers together, trying to hide the smile but failing. "It may have played a small role in saying hello. I've been trying to work up the courage to do it for days and I had the perfect excuse so how could I resist? That... doesn't bother you does it? My attraction to men?"

"Why would it," KyuHyun shrugged, looking up at the numbers of the elevator as it stopped at the lobby floor. 

"Because I know it does bother some men," Zhou Mi said, stepping off the elevator first. "Not that I would care if it bothered you or not, because it's my life and my choices. I just wanted us to be clear. Some day I may even bring a man home for the night, just so you're aware."

"Yeah, okay," KyuHyun replied, following him out of the elevator. As they left the building and walked towards the sidewalk where various other humans already walked on their way to work, the snake lowered his head and clasped his hands tightly in front of himself. 

"I was thinking we could go to the park first," Zhou Mi said, waving for a taxi. "It's going to be a nice day so we should enjoy it before we're too tired from all the shopping."

"Your call," KyuHyun shrugged, eyeing the people around them. He shuffled a little closer to Zhou Mi when a group of loud teenagers walked by. When the taxi stopped, he pulled the door open for Zhou Mi. 

Getting settled inside, Zhou Mi told the driver where to go. "So is this what you imagined your life would be like?" he asked, looking at KyuHyun. "Wasting the day away inside an apartment and keeping a silly human company?"

KyuHyun glanced at Zhou Mi. "I try not to imagine what my life will be like." 

"...I'm sorry, I guess I didn't think about it like that," Zhou Mi said quietly. "But... now you can."

"I'll just take things as they come," KyuHyun smirked a little, looking out the car window as they drove farther from the apartment. His hands were white-knuckled in his lap. 

Zhou Mi pouted a little, glancing out the window. Nothing had gone right so far with this snake, and Zhou Mi was seriously reconsidering his entire thesis project. Had he made that big of a mistake with someone elses life? Slumping a little in his seat, he was quiet until the taxi finally slowed to a stop in the parking lot of the expansive park.

"Maybe some fresh air will do us some good," Zhou Mi said, trying a smile as he opened his door and stepped out. "Just in time too, these blooms won't last much longer."

"Blooms?" KyuHyun got out of the taxi as well, looking around the park. The snake's usual blank expression was having trouble hiding his amazement at the large expanse of grass and greenery. He took a step forward before catching himself and falling back into step behind Zhou Mi. 

"What are you doing?" Zhou Mi blinked at him. "You don't need to follow me around like a puppy. Go, explore, enjoy being outside. Stop and smell a flower. This is time for you, not for me."

"What?" KyuHyun looked at him. "You're not here for a reason?" 

"... My reason is for you," Zhou Mi said. "You said you've never been outside the breeding house. I wanted you to see what the world really has to offer."

Blinking, KyuHyun looked from Zhou Mi to the park and back again, trying to decide if this was a trick. When Zhou Mi didn't show any sign of changing his mind, the snake turned towards the park and stepped out onto the grass, looking around with more curiosity than before. 

True to his word, Zhou Mi let KyuHyun explore all he wanted, walking behind him slowly. Not near enough to interfere, but able to keep an eye on him. There were very few other people in the park, a couple of which he noticed were signs with their owners. Some looked happy, but most had that defeated look to their posture that made Zhou Mi's heart ache. If he could do anything, it would be to at least make sure KyuHyun never had that look while with him.

KyuHyun seemed to forget Zhou Mi was there for a few minutes, just exploring. He peered into the bushes, paused by a water fountain to dip his fingers into the water, and accidentally scared a squirrel out of a tree. The corners of his lips curled slowly upwards as he meandered around.

Finally crouching low to the ground to catch his breath, he ran his fingers through the grass, the ground slowly lifting up underneath his fingertips and settling back down. Then he remembered Zhou Mi was there. "Uh...how long do we have?" he asked the human, coughing into his hand. 

"As long as you want," Zhou Mi shrugged, looking up at the trees. "We don't have anywhere to be, so just enjoy yourself."

"I thought you wanted to go shopping or something?" KyuHyun pulled out a few blades of grass, rolling them between his fingers. 

Zhou Mi chuckled, shaking his head. "There's no rush. We'll leave when we leave and not a minute before."

"All right." KyuHyun stood again to wander away towards a small garden, the stiffness in his shoulders easing. The snake seemed to actually be enjoying himself, stopping and smelling a few flowers he passed before sitting down in a sunny patch of grass and looking up at the sun that had lifted above the horizon. 

He sat there sunning for a good ten minutes before returning to Zhou Mi. Despite the amount of sun now hitting the park, the snake's face was pale. "I'm ready to go," he said, coughing as he looked around. "It's...it's nice here." 

Having settled against a tree to wait, Zhou Mi got back up to his feet, brushing off his pants. "It is nice here, and if you ever want to come back, just say so," he said, starting towards the park entrance.

"Yeah," KyuHyun nodded, following behind Zhou Mi. As they walked his breathing started to become labored, the snake slowly falling behind. Before they reached the entrance he had to stop. "Mas—...master," he wheezed, breathing in short, rapid bursts. 

"...KyuHyun?" Zhou Mi turned around, eyes worried as he looked at the snake. "Are you okay? What's wrong?" he asked, stepping closer.

"Need, need a moment," KyuHyun was having trouble getting the words out, a dull panic rising in his eyes as his breathing worsened. He doubled over in an effort to catch his breath, hands pressing against his knees as the wheezing got louder. 

Zhou Mi would congratulate himself later for not going into full panic flail mode as he sometimes does in a crisis. At the moment, he was trying to understand what was going on, why KyuHyun seemed to be choking on air. When it hit him, he could kick himself. "Oh no... oh no your asthma! Of all the stupid..." cutting himself off before he really did kick himself in public, he crouched down to help KyuHyun back up, letting the snake lean against him. "I'm taking you to the hospital, just try to take deep slow breaths okay?"

KyuHyun lifted his head to look at Zhou Mi. "Okay," he nodded, trying to do as Zhou Mi said. It was a mark of how anxious he was that he didn't even complain about Zhou Mi touching him, not that he had much free air to complain with. He staggered towards the entrance with Zhou Mi's help, leaning against the human. No matter how hard he tried to regulate his breathing, he couldn't draw in enough air, the short and rapid breaths worsening. 

Zhou Mi waved down a taxi for them when they got to the street, helping the snake into the backseat. He instructed the driver to take them to the nearest hospital before all his attention went back to KyuHyun. "You need to breathe, close your eyes and imagine yourself filling your lungs as much as they can take in."

Hunched over, KyuHyun forced himself to take in one long draw of air, the snake dizzy and disorientated. Exhaling until all the air was gone, he repeated the process, hands gripping the material of his pants tightly. 

"Good, just keep doing that," Zhou Mi said softly, watching him as the taxi sped along the streets. Luckily the nearest clinic wasn't that far away, the driver even helping KyuHyun out of the backseat.

The problem came when Zhou Mi tried to bring KyuHyun through the doors, the receptionist looking up and her eyes narrowing. "The Sign's clinic is two miles down the road," she said gruffly.

"He's not going to make it another two miles," Zhou Mi said, getting KyuHyun to sit down in a chair. "I don't care what your _policy_ is. I will pay for him to be seen, and it had better be the best doctor here!"

The woman scowled, getting up from her seat and disappearing into the door behind the desk. Zhou Mi sat down next to KyuHyun, rubbing his back lightly. "It'll be okay, we'll get you treated and you'll be just fine, just keep breathing."

KyuHyun clutched his chest with one hand, slumped forward. He tried to look up at Zhou Mi, straining for air. "Why?" He wheezed, only able to speak in single words. 

"Don't try to talk," Zhou Mi soothed, giving him a small smile. "You'll only make it worse. We can talk later okay?" He looked up when he heard the door opening again, a doctor in her white coat being ushered out by the receptionist.

"Is this the Sign in need of care?" the doctor asked, coming towards them. 

"Yes, he is," Zhou Mi nodded. "He's having an asthma attack and he just can't be shipped to a sign clinic. It could take hours for him to be seen."

The doctor frowned, looking over KyuHyun but then she nodded, motioning for them to follow her. "We make exceptions during emergencies, come with me and we'll get him checked in."

KyuHyun got up with Zhou Mi's help, leaning heavily against the human as they walked. They headed straight to emergency care, the snake's hand gripping Zhou Mi's sleeve tightly.

They were steered into a room and KyuHyun made to lie down on the bed as the doctor moved around the room. Pale and sweaty, KyuHyun shut his eyes tightly, chest rising and falling erratically.

 

"We'll start with a low dose nebulizer treatment," the doctor said, a nurse coming in with a machine behind her. "How long have you owned him?" she asked Zhou Mi, making notes on her chart.

"Less than a week," Zhou Mi said, watching him in worry "I knew about his asthma, the breeding house told me but it completely slipped my mind to get him a check up."

"Asthma isn't something you see in Sign's very often," the doctor frowned. "Poor conditions in the breeding houses, or genetic defects in the sires can be the causes. If he was born with it, the breeders would have put him down before he reached puberty."

"Is he going to be okay?" Zhou Mi asked, watching the nurse who was trying to help KyuHyun sit up. She held up the nozzle of the tube, coaxing KyuHyun to take it.

"He will, he may need a couple of doses of the albuterol," the doctor said. "And I'll write him a prescription for an inhaler to have on him. I'll check back on him in a few minutes." The doctor left, the nurse following after when KyuHyun had been coached on how to use the machine.

It took five minutes of sitting there before KyuHyun's breathing started to ease out, the treatment clearing his airways. He kept the nozzle in his mouth, eyes closed as the color gradually returned to his face.

Finally ten minutes after he removed the tube from his mouth to exhale shakily, opening his eyes to look at Zhou Mi beside him. 

Zhou Mi had been studying one of the posters in the room when he noticed KyuHyun moving out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked, smiling at him.

"Better," KyuHyun said, still out of breath but nowhere near as badly as before. "...Thanks." 

"Don't thank me, thank the doctor," Zhou Mi said. "She's the one who made sure you were seen and gave you the medication you need. Tomorrow we'll get you set up with a real check up, so there's no more surprises in the future. I'm the one who should be apologizing for letting this happen."

"They wouldn't have seen me if you hadn't insisted," KyuHyun said before putting the nozzle back in his mouth, not wanting to start coughing again. 

"What else was I supposed to do? You could have died," Zhou Mi said. "All because of silly restrictions about who can be treated where and that isn't right. No one should be turned away for care at a hospital."

KyuHyun shrugged, focusing on regaining his breath for a moment. Finally he removed the nozzle, clearing his throat. "No one's ever bothered to care if I died or not before." 

"And that is wrong," Zhou Mi said, leaning a little closer. "I care if you die. It would devastate me."

"Why?" KyuHyun asked. "I'm just a snake." 

"That doesn't make you worth any less than any other person in the world," Zhou Mi said. "You are important, and you don't deserve to be mistreated or to die just because you're a Sign."

KyuHyun looked at the human for a long moment, searching Zhou Mi's expression for something. Whatever it was, he seemed to have found it because his lips quirked slightly before he looked away, putting the nozzle back in his mouth. 

It was close to an hour after that when the doctor returned. She listened to KyuHyun's breathing and made a few small checks before telling Zhou Mi they could leave. So back out on the street with prescription in hand, Zhou Mi waved down a taxi to take them back home. "So what would you like to do tonight? I don't think you'll be up for any vigorous activity quite yet."

KyuHyun looked at Zhou Mi as the taxi pulled up. "Didn't you want to go shopping or something?" He stepped forward to open the door for the human. 

"Shopping can always wait," Zhou Mi said, beating him to the door and opening it first. "You need to relax and recuperate. You went through a pretty scary thing today, your body needs time to heal."

Caught off-guard when he wasn't allowed to open the door, KyuHyun blinked at Zhou Mi before getting into the taxi. "If you're sure...I'm sorry." 

"What are you sorry for?" Zhou Mi blinked, climbing in after him. "You didn't intentionally get yourself sick." Settling into his seat, he told the driver where to drop them off. "Don't apologize to me for things that aren't your fault."

KyuHyun glanced at Zhou Mi out of the corner of his eyes before looking away, a half-smile pulling at his lips. "...Yes sir." 

Leaning over to speak softly to the snake, Zhou Mi nudged him slightly in the arm. "You don't have to call me sir."

The other man looked over at him again, confused. "...What do I call you then?" he murmured. 

"You can call me by my name," Zhou Mi said. "If you want to keep up appearances in public I understand, but I'd rather be your friend than your master KyuHyun."

KyuHyun looked at the human for a long moment before nodding slightly in understanding. The snake looked a little lost, turning to watch outside the car window again as they drove back to the apartment. 

Much as the drive to the park had been, the ride was quiet, Zhou Mi humming a little under his breath until they reached the building. He hopped out first to help KyuHyun out and started for the doors. "I'll call and have some porridge delivered, it's the best thing to have when you're ill," Zhou Mi said as they rode the elevator up to their floor. "And then I'll go and get your prescription filled so we don't have any more incidents like that."

KyuHyun nodded slowly, frowning. "I don't get why it happened...I wasn't training and we were outside." 

"I'm not sure either," Zhou Mi said, lips pursed. "It's possible that because you spent your whole life inside a breeding house that your system isn't used to dealing with fresh air and all the nasty things that come with that. You could have an allergy you're not aware of. When we go see a doctor we can ask."

The snake nodded again, thinking about that. As the elevator stopped on their floor, he followed behind Zhou Mi to their apartment. "Are you going to see that guy later?" he asked once they were inside the apartment. 

Zhou Mi tried not to smile at the mere mention of the neighbor, busying himself with finding the menu for the porridge house he knew. "Maybe... I'm not sure. I want to make sure you're okay, but we'll see. You're not getting rid of me so quickly though."

"You should go if you want to," KyuHyun said, slipping off his shoes and meandering to the window to look out. "I'll be fine." 

"I'll go if I think you'll be okay by yourself for a bit," Zhou Mi said. "I'll at least make sure you're fed first."

"You don't..." KyuHyun started before sighing. "I'm supposed to be working for you, and I haven't even done anything yet." 

"And in case you haven't figured it out by now, that's not how this is going to go," Zhou Mi said, glancing over at him. "You're not here to work for me."

There was no arguing with the human. KyuHyun wrinkled his nose a little before giving up, going to sit down on the couch. He leaned forward to look through a book left on the coffee table, flipping through it curiously. 

"Do you like to read?" Zhou Mi asked, leaning up against his desk. "I have so many books up in my room if you ever get bored and feel like reading."

"I can't read," KyuHyun looked up at him. "What does this say?" 

"... Well now I know what we're doing tomorrow," Zhou Mi said. "That's a book on Sign sexuality. It's a little dry for my taste, no pictures," he chuckled, winking at him.

"..." KyuHyun put the book back down, face a little red. "I hope you have different books." 

Zhou Mi laughed at that, shaking his head. "That's not what the book is about, and of course I have lots of different books. Tomorrow we'll start to teach you how to read okay?"

Realizing he had been made fun of, KyuHyun sniffed indignantly, eyeing the book on the table. The corners of his lips curled slightly. "Okay." 

"Okay," Zhou Mi smiled at that. "I'm going to put in your dinner order, hopefully it should be here soon. Was there anything I can get you? Some water or something?"

KyuHyun shook his head. "I'm fine," he looked up at Zhou Mi. 

"I'll be right back then," Zhou Mi said, heading out the door. Going down to the lobby, he sent one of the building workers to the porridge shop while he went to get KyuHyun's inhaler. By the time he returned with the small bag, the shop had delivered KyuHyun's food. "I hope you're hungry," Zhou Mi hummed happily as he entered the apartment again, closing the door with his hip. "KyuHyun?"

KyuHyun was sprawled out on the couch, eyes closed. His chest rose and fell slowly, the snake having fallen asleep in the time it took for Zhou Mi to come back. 

"...I figured," Zhou Mi chuckled. Setting KyuHyun's medication on the table near him, Zhou Mi put the food away so it wouldn't go bad before KyuHyun had a chance to eat it. He considered doing some work while the snake slept, but he had something else he'd rather do instead.

Seeing as it looked like KyuHyun would be out for a while, Zhou Mi pulled a blanket over him before tip toeing out of the apartment again and going down the hall. He knocked a couple of times on his neighbor's door, hoping he'd be home by then.

The door unlocked and Han Geng opened it, smiling when he saw Zhou Mi standing in the hallway. "Zhou Mi, come in," he said in Mandarin, stepping aside to let him in. "How was your day?" 

"It could have gone better," Zhou Mi replied in kind, stepping in. "I had to take KyuHyun to the hospital. Not good for his first day out into the city. I hope I'm not interrupting anything... HeeChul isn't still asleep is he?"

"I heard my name." A voice called from in the living room in Korean, HeeChul curled up on the couch with a bowl of food. "If you're going to talk about me, at least let me understand you."

"He asked if you were still snoring," Han Geng replied in Korean, frowning at the rest of Zhou Mi's words. "Is KyuHyun all right?" 

"Yes, he's alright," Zhou Mi nodded, chuckling a little at HeeChul's protests. "I was just asking if you were awake is all HeeChul. I didn't get a chance to say hello properly earlier."

"Where's the snake?" HeeChul asked, shoving a spoon of rice in his mouth.

"He had an asthma attack at the park, he's resting now," Zhou Mi replied. "I thought I'd come over and get to know my neighbors."

"Well come in," Geng smiled widely, leading Zhou Mi out of the entranceway and to the living room. "Can I get you anything? Food? Something to drink?" 

"Oh, no, I'm fine," Zhou Mi said, slipping off his shoes.

"Geng makes the best fried rice," HeeChul said, showing off his bowl of food. "Geng, get him a bowl."

Han Geng laughed. "Sit down, I'll be right back." He disappeared into the kitchen area of the loft. When he returned a few minutes later, it was with a cup of coffee and a bowl of fried rice. "Here." 

"Oh... thank you," Zhou Mi bowed his head, accepting the bowl and the coffee. "So, do you cook often Geng?"

"When I have the time yes, it's better than letting HeeChul do the cooking," Han Geng smiled, sitting down across from him. 

"Excuse you, I'm a great cook," HeeChul said with a scowl. "I just happen to like your cooking better."

"Well I would love to have more of your cooking one day," Zhou Mi said, starting on the rice. "This is very good. Maybe I'll cook for you sometime in the future."

"You like cooking too?" Geng smiled. "Do you keep many chinese recipes? I can share a few of mine." 

"I have a few from my mother," Zhou Mi nodded. "I'd love to learn whatever it is you like."

"Oh for... you two are going to flirt right in front of me aren't you," HeeChul groaned, getting to his feet. "I'll be upstairs before I throw up," he said, muttering to himself as he walked away and up the stairs.

Han Geng's expression was both amused and resigned as he watched HeeChul go. "I think he's allergic to conversation sometimes," he chuckled, making himself comfortable. "Is the food all right?" 

"The food is delicious," Zhou Mi said, frowning slightly at HeeChul's reaction. "I haven't upset him by being here have I?"

"No, he's usually like this," Han Geng replied. "It's nothing against you." 

"I see, he must be rather interesting to live with," Zhou Mi said, poking at his food. "I have to make a small confession... I may have had ulterior motives in knocking on your door this morning."

"What would that be?" Han Geng asked, taking a sip from his coffee. 

"Well, I had seen you in the hall a couple of times, and I may have developed a bit of a crush on you," Zhou Mi said, avoiding looking at the other man. "I'm probably being a little forward just showing up like this, I don't even know if you're.. you know, or if you have someone else. I just thought I'd put that out there."

Han Geng blinked, quiet for a moment as he took in the man across from him. He placed the cup of coffee back on the table, straightening.

"Do you have any plans for this weekend?" he asked, smiling. "I'm free around dinner." 

"Uh... no, I don't have any plans," Zhou Mi said, lips curling up into a smile. "I'd love to have dinner with you, if that's what you're offering."

"That's what I'm offering," Han Geng grinned. "Let's go out somewhere. I'm buying." 

"Okay, it's a date then," Zhou Mi said, eating another bite of his rice. "I should probably go check on KyuHyun. Thank you for the rice, it was absolutely delicious."

"You know when I'm back from work if you ever feel like stopping by," Han Geng said. "Maybe next time KyuHyun can keep HeeChul company." 

"That... I think would be interesting to see," Zhou Mi chuckled, getting to his feet. "I may take you up on that. Being a graduate student has all the perks of not going to class, with the downfall of being bored most of the day."

"I can sympathize with being bored all day, even if I don't get out of work," Han Geng laughed, standing. 

"Then we can commiserate over being bored together over dinner," Zhou Mi said, setting the bowl down and heading for the door. "Pick me up at eight," he chuckled, slipping his shoes back on before stepping out the door.

Soon as the door was closed, HeeChul leaned over the railing looking down into the living room from the loft. "He's cute. You two will look good together," he drawled.

"You think so? I still don't know him that well." Han Geng locked the door behind Zhou Mi, picking up the empty bowls from the table. 

"Do you need to?" HeeChul raised an eyebrow at that. "Unless you're thinking of playing him for keeps then I take back what I said and you do not look good at all together."

"Would it bother you if I was?" Han Geng looked back up at him. "I like getting to know people I'm going to be involved with." 

HeeChul made a face at that, pushing away from the railing and going to the stairs. "No, it doesn't bother me... I just don't know if he's good enough for you. He's too smiley and sunshine and that _nose_." Descending the stairs, he crossed his arms and looked at Han Geng with a pout. "I get to pick out your date outfit."

"Do I get to protest if you pick out something ridiculous?" Geng chuckled, placing the dishes to wash another time before turning back to HeeChul. "Maybe I like a little sunshine every now and then." 

"I would never suggest you wear anything ridiculous, that would look bad on me," HeeChul sniffed. "I hope you have a nice time on your date. You deserve it."

"It's weird hearing you say something nice," Geng teased, walking to him. "You're still okay with this?" 

"Yah, I'm nice!" HeeChul scowled. "I have to be okay with it since it was my idea. I already know what you're going to say because you've said it a hundred times, just like I've argued my point a hundred times. It's better if you're with your own kind."

"You say that like there's such a big difference between us," Geng shook his head. He stopped in front of HeeChul. "The only difference is you leave feathers all over the place." 

"I know that, and you know that, but out there? You're in the public eye Geng," HeeChul said, fussing with Han Geng's shirt and smoothing it down. "You have to be careful."

"I will be." The Chinese man caught HeeChul's hands. "But it's just us right now, no one to hide from." 

"I know," HeeChul said, looking up into his eyes. "When you're here, you're mine."

Smiling, Han Geng leaned in to kiss the rooster, letting go of HeeChul's hands to wrap his arms loosely around his waist instead. 

HeeChul returned the kiss, his arms sliding around Han Geng's neck. "The real question is, are you okay with this?" he asked when he'd pulled back.

"There's not much either of us can do to change how things are...so I guess I have to be." Geng sighed. "For now." 

"At least he's cute," HeeChul said, rolling his eyes. "And he has the same interests you do when it comes to Signs. Maybe he'll understand."

"Maybe. Who knows. We could use more people who think that way." The human played with HeeChul's hair. "What do you think?" 

"I think he has a big nose," HeeChul said. "But it might be nice to have other people around who don't treat me as a piece of furniture."

"You know those people never stay around for long." Han Geng wrinkled his nose. "I find a reason to get rid of them, because anyone who...dishonors you dishonors me. Is dishonors the right word?" 

"I think you mean disrespect," HeeChul said, snorting a little. "I don't know how I got so lucky, and I still don't understand why you went and bought yourself a slave if you don't believe in it."

"Neither do I, it was spur of the moment," Han Geng chuckled. "I liked your fire and didn't want to see someone try to put it out." 

"And you don't regret that decision?" HeeChul asked, tilting his head slightly. "Maybe trade me in for a meek little rabbit who just wants to please you."

"No thank you," The other man laughed, leaning in and pecking HeeChul's lips. "I'll keep my foul-tempered rooster." 

"Foul tempered?" HeeChul scowled, pushing him away and stepping back. "You make the worst jokes," he huffed, stalking towards the stairs. "Go back to China with that awful sense of humor!"

"But you'd be so lonely if I went back to China!" Han Geng shook his head, laughing as he went to clean up after dinner. 

"Send me a postcard!" HeeChul called, going up the stairs to the bedroom. "You'll be the one who's lonely," he grumbled under his breath, though his lips were curled in a smirk.

*********************************3

The weekend came around quickly, the days passing by without much stress. Whether it was because of his asthma attack or not (or more specifically how Zhou Mi had handled the asthma attack), KyuHyun seemed to ease up a little towards the end of the week. He wasn't always pleasant, but the hostile air he carried towards Zhou Mi had lessened. Sometimes they even had successful conversations that didn't end in awkward silence, though the snake was quick to slam on the brakes again when they strayed into topics he didn't want to discuss.

When it came to learning how to read (and write), KyuHyun took great joy in it and would spend whatever free time he had scribbling out messy letters into a notebook Zhou Mi had given him. And that was what he was doing just then, sitting on the floor with his back to the glass window and the notebook perched on his knees.

Seeing movement above the edge of the book, the snake looked up. "What are you doing?" 

Zhou Mi was fussing with his shirt in the mirror, smoothing down the sleeves. "Getting ready. He'll be here any second and I'm not even close to being ready. Does this look okay?" he asked, turning and holding his arms out so KyuHyun could see. "This doesn't look desperate right? I want to be sexy but not scream I need to get laid."

KyuHyun thought Zhou Mi was asking the wrong person, but sighed and tried to give his input. "It's fine, you look good. Aren't you just going to dinner, why are you so freaked out?" 

"Because... _because_ ," Zhou Mi said with a huff. "Because it's more than just _dinner_. It's a _date_ , with Mr. Gorgeous Head of Hair who also believes in the sames things I do and I just want tonight to go well and not end up looking like an idiot."

"You look like an idiot when you're stressing about looking like an idiot," KyuHyun pointed out. 

"... You're not very helpful," Zhou Mi scowled, turning back to the mirror. "Are you going to be okay here without me? You can go spend time with HeeChul if you get lonely."

"I'll be fine, I'm keeping myself occupied." KyuHyun tapped his fingers against his notebook. "Have fun on your date I guess." 

"Thank you," Zhou Mi couldn't help the smile, checking his hair one last time before going to wait on the edge of one of the couches. "I told him to come here when he was ready, and it's almost eight... Maybe he thought I was supposed to go to his place first?"

"It's not eight yet," KyuHyun rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to his crooked letters rather than watch his master continue to stress out. "You can worry about that after eight." 

"You're not helpful," Zhou Mi muttered, crossing his arms. "How's the work going?"

"My letters still don't look even close to yours," KyuHyun wrinkled his nose in frustration, scribbling out another attempt. 

"I wouldn't use my handwriting for comparison," Zhou Mi said. "My hangul is horrible. Maybe you could ask HeeChul for help? He can read and write too."

"He'll just laugh at my handwriting," KyuHyun sniffed. He looked up when there was a knock on the door. 

Completely distracted, Zhou Mi bolted up from the couch and rushed to the door. "Okay I'll be back later, there's food in the ice box if you get hungry, or you can order in. Have fun bye!" he rushed down the hall to the door, slipping on his shoes and calming himself down with one slow breath before opening the door. "Hi, I didn't even notice the time," he lied.

Han Geng smiled at Zhou Mi, hearing KyuHyun's amused snort in the background. "I was hoping I hadn't kept you waiting." He slipped back into Mandarin easily. "Are you ready to go?" 

"I am," Zhou Mi nodded, grabbing his coat and stepping out into the hall. "So where were we going for dinner?"

"There's a good restaurant nearby you might like," Han Geng said, waiting for Zhou Mi to close up before walking with him to the elevator. "Do you like barbeque?" 

"Who doesn't like barbeque?" Zhou Mi laughed, glancing over at him. "Barbeque sounds perfect right now. How's HeeChul?"

"He's well, I left him watching a movie and throwing popcorn at the screen," Han Geng chuckled. He pressed the button to call the elevator. "And KyuHyun?" 

"He's learning to read and write," Zhou Mi said with a smile. "And becoming more and more irritable every day. I've thought about hiring a tutor but that may not be a good idea. Did you teach HeeChul yourself?"

"Yes, and it was...an enlightening experience," the other man shook his head in amusement. "He has little patience for learning, but seeing how happy he was to finally figure it out made the frustration worth it." 

"I'm scared to ask how often you two ended up in a fight," Zhou Mi said, stepping onto the elevator when it arrived. "He's a very interesting person. How did you come by him?"

"When I first came here from China, there was a social event I had to attend out of politeness." Han Geng followed him onto the elevator, the doors closing after them as he pressed the button for the lobby. "My Korean at the time was pitiful, and I had to excuse myself before I said something stupid. Unfortunately I couldn't read Korean signs very well either, and ended up in a public auction that had been taking place elsewhere in the building. It was very spur of the moment." 

"I take it something about him drew you to him?" Zhou Mi asked. "What is it a fighter's auction, or a personal one?"

"Just a general auction, I wouldn't have been able to afford his price if he'd been meant for the rings," Han Geng shook his head. "He wasn't...broken, like the other slaves. There was a fire in his eyes, and looking around the room, I realized they would all snuff that flame out without a second thought. It was sickening." 

Zhou Mi nodded at that, looking down. "It's disgusting what they go through. KyuHyun is eighteen, and was still in the breeding house. It wouldn't have been very long before he was put down and there is no reason for that, none at all."

"They put down the ones who don't sell by a certain age, don't they," Han Geng said quietly. "And to think signs as young as fifteen can be sent to die in the rings. When I was fifteen, I was worrying about not having my first kiss yet, not about dying for entertainment." He stepped out of the elevator when the door opened. "I'm sorry, this isn't very appropriate date conversation is it?" 

"Not beginning of the date conversation anyway," Zhou Mi said, following him out. "More like, two thirds of the way through dinner and on the second glass of wine."

"Even then, it's a bit of a dampener," Han Geng smiled sadly, glancing at him. "I don't know many people I'd feel comfortable talking to about this though." 

"Me either," Zhou Mi said. "I have a couple of professors who humor me, but they think I'm just crazy. I don't keep friends because of how much I talk about Sign's rights and they hate it when I disagree with their punishment of slaves. I like that I can talk to you and not feel like an outsider for my beliefs."

"We even have our own language so we're not overheard," The other man chuckled. "Does your whole family think like you do?" He held the door open for Zhou Mi as they stepped outside. 

"Unfortunately no," Zhou Mi shook his head. "My father runs one of the larger fighting houses, and it's because I grew up in that environment that I believe what I do. My father humors me and think this is just some adolescent rebellion despite being in my twenties, and my mother gives me a nervous look every time I talk. I don't even know what she thinks about it to be honest."

"I've found that even people who feel like slavery is wrong are often too afraid to speak out," Han Geng frowned. "I wish I could say my family was better, but that would be a lie. I admire your bravery in speaking out actually." 

"Bravery, or stupidity," Zhou Mi smirked. "It has got me in some trouble in the past. I once tried to free some fighters from my father's training house, but they told on me."

Han Geng shook his head. "The world isn't much kinder to freed signs unfortunately, or I would have tried to do the same. If I could have known HeeChul would be all right on his own, that collar would be off already. But freed signs have little to no rights, and until that changes it's safer for him to stay where I can protect him." 

"I know, I've learned as much since then," Zhou Mi said. "Which is why I'm working so hard to give people like HeeChul and KyuHyun a better life. I don't think KyuHyun believes me yet, about what I'm trying to do. I can see it in his eyes. There's so much distrust of humans."

"Can't really blame them for that," Han Geng said quietly. "It took a long time for HeeChul to trust me too. You'll get through to him eventually." He glanced at Zhou Mi, taking the other man's hand lightly. 

Zhou Mi was a little startled when Han Geng took his hand, glancing down at them before looking up at him. "Well... I hope I can get through to him soon," he said, a small smile curling on his lips. "I do hope HeeChul and KyuHyun can spend some time together soon, KyuHyun could use a friend that isn't human."

"HeeChul isn't always the most pleasant company, but I don't see how it can hurt," Han Geng laughed. "He doesn't really have much opportunity to socialize either, and at least a snake won't let HeeChul get too out of hand." 

"I'm scared to ask what you mean by out of hand," Zhou Mi said, shaking his head. "So where is this place you're taking me? I haven't had a chance to visit many of the restaurants in this area."

"It's just around the block here, family-run and very good," Han Geng replied, turning the corner. "There's quite a few good restaurants around here, if you find them." 

"Well, maybe next time we can find one we haven't been to yet," Zhou Mi suggested. "If.. I mean there is a next time.. Getting a little ahead of myself," he laughed nervously.

"I don't see why we can't plan for a next time," Han Geng smiled at him. "Ah, we're here." He stopped outside a nicely decorated barbeque house, opening the door for Zhou Mi.

Stepping in, Zhou Mi glanced around for a table to sit at. "I just don't want to presume anything," he said when they'd seated themselves an out of the way place to sit. "We barely know each other."

"I'm hoping to fix that problem," Han Geng chuckled. "But there's no rush."

"No, there really isn't," Zhou Mi said with a smile. The server came by with waters and gave them the menus to look over. "So what kind of work is it that you do at the embassy? Are you an ambassador?"

"Yes, I keep track of Chinese travelers and immigrants in South Korea," the other man replied. "But most of the time I end up filling out and approving paperwork, it's a little tedious." 

"But I bet you get to meet all kinds of interesting people," Zhou Mi said, resting his chin in his hand. "Was this something you wanted to do? Is that why you came to Korea?"

"I came to Korea for a change in scenery," Han Geng shrugged. "Ambassador was the best option available at the time. It's an interesting job, but I don't know if I'll be doing it the rest of my life." 

"And what is it you would rather do?" Zhou Mi asked. "Do you want to stay in Korea or go back home?"

Han Geng blinked. "Hm?" He shook his head, leaning back with a chuckle. "No...I'm staying here until I have a reason to go back. I'm still working out in my head what I want to do. What about you? What are you going to do once you graduate?" 

"I'm still trying to work that out," Zhou Mi said with a small shrug. "Not many jobs that include helping Signs obtain rights and their freedom. My father assumes I'll be taking over for him at the training house, but that's not really what I want to do."

"It would make sense to be somewhat involved in the field though," Han Geng pointed out. "Change has to happen from the inside." 

"That is true," Zhou Mi mulled that over, looking down at the table. "I'll most likely just end up as one of those doddering professors at the university who tries in vain to teach the kids about my crazy ideas."

Han Geng's lips quirked. "Only if that's what you set out to do. If you need someone to bounce ideas off of, you know where I live." 

"I'll be sure to do that," Zhou Mi smiled at him. "I have some time to think about it at least, right now I'm more worried about how my thesis is going to go."

"How is that going, anyways?" the other man blinked. "You're using KyuHyun as a case study, right?" 

"I am, and it's going slow. I expected to in the beginning of course, so I won't let that frustrate me. I just worry about getting distracted from the goal. I also hope he's cooperative," Zhou Mi hummed a little to himself, glancing down at the menu. "HeeChul is the kind of outcome I'm hoping for with this, so I may have to ask your opinions about how to handle this."

"I can share my opinions and experiences, but HeeChul and KyuHyun are not the same person, their personal experiences are different," Han Geng replied. "The most I can say right now is that it takes a long time to mend years of abuse." 

"I know, and I don't expect that KyuHyun will be everything that I hope when this done," Zhou Mi said, deflating slightly. "But I have to try. For not only his sake, but the millions like him all over the world."

"That's what matters the most," Han Geng smiled at Zhou Mi reassuringly. "As long as you don't forget that, you'll be fine." 

Zhou Mi returned the smile, leaning slightly over the table. "I don't know how long we'll be neighbors for, but I'm sure you'll see a very different KyuHyun in a year's time. That is what will make it worth it."

Han Geng chuckled. "I'll look forward to it."

As the waitress arrived and took their orders, back in the apartment, KyuHyun was just giving up on his writing exercises. His hand was cramping up, and the apartment was uncomfortably quiet. Getting up and walking around just to make some noise, the snake peered out the window at the street down below, pressing his hands against the glass. He looked at all the people walking down below, like so many ants, unable to tell who was human and who was sign at this distance. 

KyuHyun's night was about to get a whole lot more interesting, a sharp tap on the door breaking the silence. "Yah! I know you're in there!" came the muffled voice from the hall.

Jumping, the snake looked over his shoulder at the door. "...What the hell," he grumbled. Removing his hands from the glass and quickly wiping away the finger smudges with his sleeve, he turned and walked to the front door. Was he supposed to open the door? Zhou Mi hadn't said...

KyuHyun unlocked the door, pulling it open. "...What are you doing?" 

"I'm bored, keep me company." HeeChul pushed past the snake, flouncing into the room. "Han Geng didn't buy me any liquor, does your master have some in the house?" he asked, making a beeline for the kitchen.

"How would I know?" KyuHyun watched him go in exasperation, closing the door. "Are you even supposed to be out of your apartment? Your master isn't going to throw a fit if he finds you gone?" 

"Geng? Throw a fit?" HeeChul snorted. "Geng will do one of two things, get a stern look in his eyes and say "HeeChul, chinese something something" and that'll be it. Or, he'll take away my liquor. Since I have no liquor, I'll get a lecture in Mandarin. I'm okay with that. Success!" HeeChul had opened a cabinet and found a bottle of vodka. "Besides, he told me to play nice and talk to you, so here I am."

"Okay, so you won't get into trouble, but _I_ will be if my master finds out you've been drinking his liquor," KyuHyun said, arms folded across his chest. 

"Did he tell you that you couldn't drink this?" HeeChul asked, holding up the bottle.

"...He didn't say anything about whether I could or not," KyuHyun replied. 

"Then he didn't forbid it," HeeChul grinned, grabbing two glasses and heading for the couch. "Geng'll buy him another bottle if it's a problem and you can tell him it was entirely my idea and I made you. Deal?"

"That's not the point," KyuHyun grumbled, but he could tell he wasn't going to have much of a say in this. He padded slowly after the other man. "You know, snakes eat roosters." 

"Snakes eat stupid chickens," HeeChul said, opening the bottle and pouring them both shots. "I'm not a stupid chicken, and if that's your way of trying to brush me off then you're going to have to try a little harder. I don't care that you're a snake."

"You should," KyuHyun grumbled, stopping beside the couch. "So why are you here then? Cause your master said so, and because you're out of alcohol?" 

"More or less," HeeChul said, looking up at him. "And I'm bored. You have to be bored too without your master here to babble at you."

"...Maybe just a little." KyuHyun sat down on the couch with a sigh. "Though I'm bored when he's here too, _and_ stressed out." 

"Stressed out why?" HeeChul blinked, pushing the glass his way.

"Because I don't know what he's expecting of me, he won't let me do anything useful," KyuHyun replied, picking up the glass and eyeing it like he wasn't convinced he should be drinking from Zhou Mi's liquor without express permission. 

"So he hasn't given you any kind of specific job?" HeeChul asked, leaning back in his seat. "That's not something to stress over."

"Yes it is," KyuHyun scowled. "At least then I'd know what to expect. I'm not a fighter, he won't let me take care of cleaning the apartment or anything, and no one in their right mind would buy a snake as a bedwarmer. So what am I supposed to do?" 

"And what has he said when you asked him about this?" HeeChul asked, taking his shot of vodka and pouring himself another.

"Nothing helpful," the snake grumbled. "I'm some school project apparently. First he said to do 'whatever snakes do', which isn't very helpful, then that I could be his assistant, but he wouldn't elaborate on what that would mean." 

"An assistant?" HeeChul blinked, the corner of his lip curling up. "Well, I'm not sure how to help you there except offer you more liquor. What have you been doing then? Sleeping?"

"Sleeping. Learning to read and write, he lets me do that at least." KyuHyun glanced towards the window, the stars visible in the night sky. "Mostly I just watch out the window." 

"And what is it you would like to do?" HeeChul asked. "You said yourself you're not a fighter, or a bedwarmer. Do you really want to clean like some boar or goat?"

"I don't know. I just want to do _something_ so I can't be accused of being useless." KyuHyun finally downed the shot as HeeChul had, before choking and coughing. 

"There's nothing wrong with being useless," HeeChul sniffed. "If you're so bent on doing something, why do you have to get permission? If you want to clean, then clean. If you want to be an assistant, follow Zhou Mi around and take notes whenever he talks. Just because you're a slave does not mean you have to wait on him to give you an order especially if he isn't giving you any."

"That's what we were told to do in the house," KyuHyun said once he could feel his tongue again, glancing at HeeChul. 

"The one thing the breeding house doesn't really prepare you for, is how to get by in the real world," HeeChul rolled his eyes. "Forget what they beat into your head about bowing and scraping to your master. You listen to what your master tells you and do what they expect of you. Or in our case, we do what we want."

"I don't know what he expects of me, so how am I supposed to do it," KyuHyun said, slouching in his seat. He fussed with the collar around his neck. 

"I think you just completely tuned me out," HeeChul said, sitting forward. "Zhou Mi is a lot like Geng. He believes in Sign rights and that we should be able to do what we want. He's not expecting anything out of you, he just wants you to be yourself. You don't know what it is to be yourself yet, so use this time to discover who you are."

"And who are _you_?" KyuHyun asked, glancing at the rooster out of the corner of his eyes. 

"I'm a lazy, narcissistic asshole," HeeChul grinned. "And those are my nice qualities. I do what I want, when I want as long as it doesn't get Geng in trouble."

"And he puts up with that?" the snake raised one eyebrow. "Why?" 

HeeChul's expression became guarded, and he looked down at his glass. "Honestly, I don't know. I ask myself that sometimes. In the beginning, I was like you, not sure what to do or how to act around him. After a while though, I started really understanding what he was trying to tell me. That I could be more."

"I don't understand, what else is there to be," KyuHyun said quietly. "We're slaves. That's all there is to it." 

"That's what the breeding houses would have you believe, and that's what most of those humans walking around out there think," HeeChul said, pointing to the window. "But we're not any less because we're Signs, we're just as good as any of them out there."

The snake leaned forward to put his glass down before resting back against the couch, closing his eyes. "I want to believe that, but I'm not sure how." 

"That's not something I can tell you how to do," HeeChul said. "Or anyone can for that matter. That's something you have to think about on your own and decide for yourself."

Exhaling slowly, KyuHyun wrinkled his nose a little before opening his eyes again. "Right. How did you deal with all this, if your master's like mine?" 

HeeChul picked up the bottle of vodka and poured KyuHyun another shot. "I drank. It definitely has a calming effect. Then I spent a lot of time just thinking, and once I learned how to read, spent a lot of time reading too. He had some books about equality and acceptance. I think that helped."

"Really?" KyuHyun blinked. "...Once I figure out how to read easier, can I look at them?" 

"Sure, I'll let Geng know," HeeChul nodded. "And if you need help with learning how to read, I think I'd be a better teacher then your chinamen master. Geng was an awful teacher."

"As long as you don't laugh at me," KyuHyun sniffed. "I could count on one hand the amount of signs in the house who knew how to read." 

'It's not something the breeders encourage," HeeChul nodded. "I'll laugh at you, I'm not even going to lie and try to make you feel better."

KyuHyun grumbled at that, eyeing the book on the corner of the coffee table. "...Fine. I'll find something to laugh at you about eventually." He'd deal with the rooster laughing at him if it helped him learn to read. 

"Fair enough," HeeChul chuckled at that. "So, how do you feel about our master's being out on a date?" he asked, glancing at KyuHyun.

"What do you mean? How am I supposed to feel?" KyuHyun messed up his hair absently. "What's the big deal?" 

"Just asking, making conversation," HeeChul shrugged, picking absently at a spot on the couch. "It's the first date Geng's been on in a while, so I worry about him."

"Why?" The snake blinked. "I didn't think a date was something to worry about." 

"Usually no, unless you're an awkward turtle like he is," HeeChul chuckled. "He hasn't had good luck with relationships in the past, I just want him... to find someone nice."

KyuHyun raised an eyebrow, glancing at the rooster. "What's with the pause? You don't sound very sure of what you're saying." 

"I don't consider choosing how I phrase something to be worth the raised eyebrow," HeeChul made a face. "When you've been with someone as long as I have you worry about who they bring home."

The snake shrugged. "I doubt we'll get to that point." He finished his glass and coughed. "This stuff is vile." 

"Next time I'll make some margaritas," HeeChul rolled his eyes. "Why don't you think you'll get to that point?"

"I don't like thinking too far in advance, it saves me the disappointment." KyuHyun frowned, feeling a tightness in his chest and making a note to not drink any more of that stuff just in case. 

"It can also leave you feeling kind of bitter," HeeChul said. "Don't be bitter, it's not a good look."

"So what would you suggest I do? Plan for things, look forward to things that probably won't happen?" KyuHyun rolled his eyes. 

"I like to think of it as keeping your options open," HeeChul said. "Instead of thinking something won't happen, think of it like... it could happen, one day. Hope is a powerful tool, one that I wish more Signs would hold on to. Otherwise you end up kind of dead inside. There's a dog that lives in the next building over, I've seen him a couple of times. He doesn't smile, he doesn't ever look at you and if he does, there's nothing there. It's vacant. He's given up."

KyuHyun's gaze lowered, fingers curling into fists. No, he didn't want to be like that. "You're the only other sign I've talked to outside of the house. But even just those few passing by on the street, I see what you mean." 

"The house slaves are the worst," HeeChul said, looking down as well. "The sex slaves and personal servants. I think the fighters are the ones who have it the best. They live their life to the fullest, even if they know they're probably going to die. Have you ever been to a tournament?"

"My clutch went to see a match, to get a feel for the arena," KyuHyun nodded. "It was an ox against a dog...the dog must have had several broken ribs afterwards. I'm not sure if it's any better knowing your life has a deadline." 

"Maybe, maybe not," HeeChul shrugged. "But I've seen many tournaments, and the winners... I've never seen a Sign who looked happier than to know that he's alive."

"Doesn't mean I'd want to be sent there in their place," KyuHyun smirked, picking at a loose thread in his sleeve. "That's probably the one thing I'm glad for...if I'd been bought buy a fighting house, I wouldn't have lasted through the preliminaries." 

"Me either," HeeChul shook his head. "Though roosters aren't generally bought for fighting. We're bait animals to get the fighters ready for their real competition. Or if the master is particularly cruel, to train the slave to be completely vicious. Snakes at least are looked better upon by society than roosters. We're fodder."

KyuHyun nodded slightly. "The roosters same age as me didn't have it any better in the house, half of the time they were target practice. Roosters and snakes still get grouped together though, we're both apparently disagreeable signs least picked for things." He smirked. "Not suited for the arena, and not suited for labor either." 

"Or make good sex slaves," HeeChul said. "Though I heard a rumor that a master of one of the biggest fighting houses in the city took a snake as a bedwarmer. Geng thinks I'm making stuff up but I know what I heard."

"...I hope he gets bitten," KyuHyun shuddered. "And I hope the snake is venomous." 

"Me too," HeeChul agreed. "Well, I think I'll call it a night. I'd rather be asleep when Geng comes home so I'll see you around snake breath," he said, getting to his feet. "And feel free to blame the half empty bottle on me."

KyuHyun stood up as well. "Don't call me snake breath, feather brain," he sniffed. "I guess I'll see you next time you get bored." 

"Or when you need a real teacher," HeeChul said, flouncing his way to the door. "And I'll call you whatever I feel like, don't get your tail in a knot."

The snake followed him to the door. "You're really unbelievable. Don't catch your tailfeathers on the way out." He watched HeeChul go, feeling better than he had before at least. Even if he had to clean up the mess the rooster left behind. 

The night was winding down, and after a good meal and a couple of drinks, Zhou Mi and Han Geng left the restaurant to head back home. "I can't think of a better time I've spent with someone," Zhou Mi said, breathing in the night air. "As first dates go, I think it ranks in the top five. That's probably because I've never been on a date though."

Han Geng smiled, amused. "Should I take that as a compliment? I haven't been on many dates myself, this was nice." He walked slowly beside Zhou Mi. "I wouldn't mind going out with you again, whenever." 

"You should definitely take it as a compliment," Zhou Mi said, nudging him slightly. "You're a nice guy, and I can't think of a better way to spend a night than going out with you. Maybe next weekend? I don't know how busy you are during the week. I'm free pretty much every night."

"The weeks are very busy for me," the other man replied, chuckling at the nudge. "Next weekend sounds great. You pick the place next time?" 

"Alright, I think I can find a nice place," Zhou Mi nodded. "How do you feel about dancing? I know of a good club we could go to."

Han Geng's smile widened. "I love to dance. It's been a while since I've been to a club, it's not much fun to go alone." 

"Hmm.. no, not usually," Zhou Mi agreed. "Depends on what kind of mood you're in." He could see their building up ahead, and he may not have intentionally done so but he was slowing down just a little. "So... what are your plans for the rest of the night?"

"I don't really have any," Han Geng glanced at Zhou Mi beside him. "No reason to be up early tomorrow. What about you?" 

"No plans, and I wouldn't mind sleeping in tomorrow," Zhou Mi said. "If you want, we could maybe... have a drink at my place?"

Blinking, Han Geng's lips quirked a little. "I think I'll pass this time, I'm sorry. Maybe next week after we're tired from dancing?" 

"...Oh, okay," Zhou Mi gave him a small smile back, though he did deflate a little. "I'll look forward to next weekend then."

"I will be too," Han Geng replied, opening the door for Zhou Mi as they reached the building. "I _am_ just down the hall though, you can stop by whenever you want to." 

"I just wouldn't want you to get sick of me before next weekend," Zhou Mi said, stepping in and heading towards the elevator. "And you just said yourself you're very busy during the week. But if you do get time, you can always knock on my door as well."

"I will," the other man grinned. They took the elevator up to their floor, Han Geng walking with Zhou Mi to his door even though his own room was in the other direction. As they stopped outside the apartment door, Han Geng smiled at Zhou Mi. "Have a good night Mi." He leaned in and kissed the other man softly. 

Zhou Mi returned the kiss hesitantly, eyes slipping closed until he pulled back to look into Han Geng's eyes. "That drink is still available if you ever want it," he murmured.

Han Geng smiled at him, hands lightly against Zhou Mi's waist. "Maybe next time," he said quietly, brushing a lock of hair out of Zhou Mi's eyes before stepping back. "Night." 

"Night," Zhou Mi smiled, unlocking the door and stepping in. He gave Han Geng a small wave before shutting the door. After ten seconds when he sure Geng had walked away by then, he hit his forehead against the door.

KyuHyun looked up from where he had stretched out along the couch, instantly sitting up straight. "...Why are you hitting your head for? It didn't go well?" 

"Just the opposite," Zhou Mi whined, turning around and slumping down onto the floor. "We had fun, we laughed, we have so many things in common and he is just _perfect_. But he didn't want to come in and I feel like a fool for suggesting it. Of course he wouldn't come in on the first date, he's a perfect gentleman!"

"Okay...I don't see how that's worth a dent in your forehead, but okay." KyuHyun shook his head. "Do you need anything?" 

"... That's a loaded question," Zhou Mi replied dryly, picking himself up off the floor. "No, I think I just need a glass of water and go to bed," he said, pulling off his shoes and headed to the kitchen. "How was your night?"

"All right," the snake shrugged, watching the human go. "HeeChul came by to talk for a bit." 

"Oh? What did he want?" Zhou Mi blinked, pulling down a glass and going to the sink.

"His master told him to be polite and socialize," KyuHyun frowned. "He also...went through your alcohol, I tried to discourage him." 

"...He did? Why?" Zhou Mi frowned, filling up his glass of water. "He offered you some at least I hope."

"He said he had none in his master's apartment," KyuHyun eyed the human. "You're not mad?" 

"No, why would I be?" Zhou Mi shrugged, sitting down in a chair across from him. "I would be mad if he came in and stole the bottle and left, but the bottle is still here. Did you think I'd be mad at you?"

The snake frowned, looking away. "Yes." 

"Well, to put your mind at ease, I'd be mad at HeeChul, not you," Zhou Mi said, sipping at his water. "You didn't make him come here or make him take my bottle and open it. And even if it had been your idea, I wouldn't be mad at you... this is your home too, and you can have anything in this apartment if you want it."

KyuHyun blinked, glancing at Zhou Mi. "But this is all your stuff. Not mine." 

"And when you came to live with me it became yours," Zhou Mi said with a smile. "If you want to eat something, eat it. If you want to have a drink, have a drink. If you want to raid my closet to wear something nice then go for it."

"..." KyuHyun didn't seem to know what to say to that, watching Zhou Mi's expression. "Why are you so different?" he asked finally. 

The question made Zhou Mi's head tilt slightly, brow furrowed. "How do you mean? Different from other humans? Masters? Well I guess it would be the same answer... I'm different because I know full well that signs are people and should be treated as such."

The snake looked at Zhou Mi for a long moment. Finally he looked away again, the corner of his lips quirking slightly.

"...Can we go back to that park sometime?" 

"Of course," Zhou Mi smiled, setting down his glass of water. "Soon as we see the doctor and put you on a regimen for controlling your asthma. We can go to the park as many times as you want."

"All right." KyuHyun didn't really say anything after that, but some of the tension in the snake's shoulders had eased as he turned his head to look outside the window. 

"Well, I think I'm going to bed, too much excitement for me for one day," Zhou Mi said, getting up and returning the glass to the kitchen. "You going to be up for a while?"

"No," KyuHyun shook his head. He would probably sleep too, seeing how Zhou Mi always woke up at the crack of dawn. He stood up, stretching out his arms. "Sleep well I guess." 

"You too KyuHyun," Zhou Mi said, disappearing up the stairs. When he finally flopped into bed, he sighed softly to himself and glanced at the empty side of the bed beside him before turning out the light and closing his eyes.

Watching him go, KyuHyun shook his head before slowly going around the main floor, just checking to make sure everything was put away. He washed the glass in the sink before turning off all the lights, pulling the curtains shut around his small corner of the room. Today had given him plenty of things to think about. 

***********************5

The rest of the weekend passed quickly, Zhou Mi helping KyuHyun with his studies until KyuHyun threw a book across the room in frustration. Zhou Mi quickly decided that he would leave KyuHyun to study on his own or bring HeeChul over to help. Not that he didn't enjoy helping KyuHyun learn, he could just tell that he wasn't being as helpful as he would like.

At the start of the new week, Zhou Mi took KyuHyun in for his check up with the top doctor in Sign medicine, and learned a few things that would be helpful to know in caring for KyuHyun. As the day wore on though, KyuHyun had become increasingly agitated with Zhou Mi and the hapless human was confused.

"Did I do something wrong?" Zhou Mi asked when they returned home, standing far enough way so he didn't get the full effect of KyuHyun's glare. "You seem mad at me about something and I can't figure out what I did wrong."

"What?" KyuHyun eyed him, trying not to scowl as he pulled off his shoes and placed them away. "Nothing's wrong, everything's fine, why wouldn't it be fine?" He itched at his arm, going straight to the window to take in the sun from outside. 

"Because you keep snapping at me," Zhou Mi pouted. "Are you hungry? I can get something delivered, or I could try my hand at cooking again. Do you have to take your new medications with food? We'll need to get you on a schedule so we don't forget that you need to take them. How about some water? You kept asking for water at the doctor's, I thought they were going to start charging us for them."

"Why do you _talk_ so much?" KyuHyun sat down next to the window, head in his hands like he had a headache. "No, it's— I'm fine, it's not you, I'm sorry." 

"...I talk when I get nervous," Zhou Mi said, watching him in concern. "Or when I'm excited, or happy... or generally all the time. What's wrong KyuHyun? Are you okay?"

The snake messed up his hair in frustration, restraining himself from snapping again. "I'm fine. I just have to start shedding soon, and it's _very_ uncomfortable." 

"...Shedding?" Zhou Mi frowned at that, stepping closer. "Wait... you will _actually_ shed your skin? Like... you'll peal away a shell and a new you steps out? I thought that was a metaphor!"

"Do you know _anything_ about snakes?" KyuHyun looked up at Zhou Mi, pushing his long bangs out of his face (his hair hadn't been cut yet). His eyes, usually charcoal black, looked like they were being covered with a thin, milky film. "I don't know how much longer I'll be able to keep this form." 

"While I admit I am more familiar with other types of Signs, I have been trying to study about snakes," Zhou Mi said, scratching at his arm absently. "So... what's going to happen? Do I need to anything special for you?"

"No," KyuHyun shook his head, drawing his knees up and resting his forehead against them. "You should stay away while I'm shedding though, because I won't be able to see and I can't promise I won't bite." 

"... Oh," Zhou Mi mouthed quietly. "Um... Will I even be safe here? Will you? I need to know what I should do KyuHyun, I don't want you to get hurt and I don't really want to get bitten... Are you poisonous?"

"I'm not poisonous," KyuHyun replied. "You'll be fine, I'll just stay on my bed for a few days until it's over. I'm not about to start chasing you around the apartment, I'd probably get myself stuck under the couch." 

"Okay, but I want to try and help if I can," Zhou Mi said, crouching down in front of him. "Will you tell me if there's anything I can do?"

KyuHyun lifted his head, peering at Zhou Mi past his bangs. "...Just don't start screaming at the snake, I like my hearing," he murmured, lips curling slightly. 

"Now that I know what'll happen I won't scream," Zhou Mi chuckled. "How long does this process usually take?"

"A week from start to finish. I'll probably have to shift in a day or two." KyuHyun scratched at his arm. "It only happens once a year at least. I'm sorry if I—...if I sound pissed off and snappy until it's over." 

"It's okay," Zhou Mi said, smiling up at him. "It's a part of who you are so I'll deal with it. You don't need to apologize, it's probably uncomfortable. Wait... a week?" his expression dimmed a little. "That means you'll still be shedding through the weekend?"

KyuHyun frowned, counting the days. "Yeah, I'll still be shedding. Why?" 

"Oh... it's nothing," Zhou Mi shook his head. "I just.. had plans with Geng this weekend but I can push them back."

"Why? It's not like I'm going to stop shedding if you leave for a few hours," KyuHyun replied, sitting up straighter. "You don't have to ditch your plans." 

"No, I know, it's just," Zhou Mi sighed. "I wouldn't want to bring him back here if you're in that condition. It's okay, it's just a date."

KyuHyun looked uncomfortable. "It's fine, I'll just stay behind the curtains and won't make any noise or anything. You won't even know I'm here." 

"But I'll know," Zhou Mi said softly. "And you'll know, and it's just not that important. Okay?"

"... _Why?_ You don't have to do so much for me. You're already giving me good food, a comfortable bed, medicine...and I'm not even doing anything in return." 

"KyuHyun," Zhou Mi touched the snake's knee lightly, smiling up at him. "You don't have to do anything in return, except be my friend. And to learn, and grow into an individual."

Twitching at the hand on his knee, KyuHyun met the human's eyes. "...That doesn't seem like a fair trade," he said quietly. 

"Who said anything about it being a trade?" Zhou Mi tilted his head slightly. "This may sound callous of me, but this is why you're here. This is my thesis. To see how you develop over the course of this year without being treated like a slave, but like a human, like a real person."

The snake frowned at him, not sure what to make of that still. "This week might not be the best example ever," he said finally, resting his chin back on his knees. 

"Probably not, but it's still important," Zhou Mi said. "It's a part of who you are, and something most humans don't know of but may need to in the future."

"I don't see why," KyuHyun shrugged, eyes lowered. "Humans just avoid being around snakes in their animal form anyways, so it wouldn't make a difference. We're not like fluffy bunny rabbits or dogs, even ball pythons scare humans silly and you would need to literally crush one of them before they try to bite." 

"And that is exactly why I'm doing this," Zhou Mi replied. "Because humans can't continue to live in fear and ignorance. We'll make a change, with your help."

KyuHyun's gaze flicked up to Zhou Mi's face, the snake frowning. "Are _you_ afraid of me?" 

"Do I have a reason to be?" Zhou Mi shook his head. "I'm not scared of you... but I have a lot to learn myself still."

Smirking slightly, KyuHyun looked away again before shifting to stand. "Can I take a shower or something? We're not doing anything right now?" 

"Of course," Zhou Mi nodded, straightening back up as well. "I'm going to go see if Geng is home, let him know about what's going on. I'll be right back."

"Okay," KyuHyun nodded, going to the bathroom. He closed the door behind him, the sound of the shower running filtering through almost instantly. 

Sighing a little to himself, Zhou Mi headed out of the apartment to Han Geng's, knocking. He wasn't surprised when HeeChul answered, the snake looking him up and down before rolling his eyes and walking away.

"Geng, the stick man is here."

"HeeChul," Han Geng sighed at the comment, standing from where he was sitting on the couch. He smiled when he saw Zhou Mi, approaching the door. "Hi, come in, how was your day?" 

"Good," Zhou Mi nodded, stepping in and closing the door behind him. "Took KyuHyun to his appointment this morning. I have some bad news though... We have to reschedule dancing for this weekend."

"Such a shame," HeeChul said, dropping down onto the couch.

"Oh," Han Geng blinked, looking disappointed. "Okay, we'll go another time. Can I ask why?" 

"Apparently KyuHyun's started shedding, and I don't feel comfortable leaving him alone," Zhou Mi said, glancing at HeeChul out of the corner of his eye. "Nor would I be comfortable with bringing you back home with him there like that," he said, his voice dropping to a near whisper.

"Ah, that I can understand," Han Geng nodded, resisting looking back at HeeChul. "Snakes are testy while shedding, better not... I guess we'll go to the club the weekend after?" 

"Yeah, another week won't kill us," Zhou Mi nodded as well. "Maybe I'll stop by on Saturday for a little bit anyway, we could maybe have lunch or something."

"Sounds like a plan, I'll make extra," Han Geng chuckled. He looked back at HeeChul. "That means you can't visit KyuHyun for a week, I don't want to have to treat a snake bite." 

"Not going to protest," HeeChul replied, picking at his nails.

"I should get going, but I'll see you around," Zhou Mi said, giving Han Geng a small smile before opening the door and stepping back out.

"I'm sorry your date got canceled," HeeChul said when Zhou Mi had closed the door.

"You don't sound very sorry," Han Geng shook his head, locking the door and heading back to the couch. "I can never tell if you actually want me to go through with this or not." 

"Yes," HeeChul supplied with a shrug. "And no. I want you to have a normal human life Geng. You can have that with twig legs. You could love him right?"

"Maybe. I don't know. He is nice." Han Geng sat down next to HeeChul, looking at the rooster. "Doesn't stop me from feeling guilty while going out with him." 

"Are you feeling guilty because it bothers me that you're with someone else?" HeeChul asked, turning on the couch and putting his legs over Han Geng's knees. "If that's the reason then that's stupid. It only bothers me because he doesn't know, and I'm going to tell you again to _tell him_ what's going on."

"And I don't know how you can possibly think anything good will come of that." Han Geng picked at a loose thread on HeeChul's pants unhappily. 

"Because it's the right thing to do," HeeChul said. "I don't care if you're with him, as long as he knows who has your heart. You can take him on dates, sleep with him, whatever, but I loved you first."

"HeeChul, if I'm going to date someone, I want to at least try to love them," Han Geng replied. "It's just not fair to him." 

HeeChul looked away, sighing softly. "For what it's worth, I hope you do fall in love with him and get over me. There's no future with me Geng, but you could have a future with him."

"Don't say that," Han Geng murmured, reaching out and touching HeeChul's cheek gently. "Things change. They always do." 

"It's the truth," HeeChul said, pulling away and getting to his feet. "Nothing will change for us, or how we're viewed. I think it's time we both come to terms with the fact that we can't be together, and the most I will get is to be your bedwarmer."

"HeeChul..." Han Geng looked up at him, leaning forward and trying to catch the rooster's hand. "I can't accept that. There _will_ be change, there has to be." 

"And even if there is, how long will it take?" HeeChul said, his eyes lowered. "I'd rather you find happiness with someone that you can hold hands with when you walk down the street, than to be with someone you have to hide away."

Han Geng stood, circling his arms around HeeChul's waist. "But who's going to make you happy?" he murmured, resting his forehead against the other man's. 

"Seeing you happy will make me happy," HeeChul replied, closing his eyes. "Even if it's with a stick man with a nose too big. If you're with someone who loves you as much as I do, then I'll be happy."

"I don't like hearing you talk so selflessly," Han Geng whispered. "It sounds painful." He brushed his lips against HeeChul's. 

"Of course it's painful," HeeChul snorted, pulling away. "But even I have to admit that things aren't entirely about me all the time."

Eyes sad as HeeChul pulled away, Han Geng sighed and messed up his hair with one hand, closing his eyes. After a moment he opened them again to smile at HeeChul. "Tonight is. What do you want to do? Stay in, go out somewhere?" 

HeeChul blinked at that, tilting his head slightly. "Why? Is this because stick man had to cancel for Saturday? I don't need you to shower me with attention Geng."

"It's because I want to, do I need any other reason?" Han Geng chuckled. 

Eyeing him for a moment, HeeChul crossed his arms. "Okay, then I want you to cook fried rice and we'll stay in. Maybe you can give me a massage later, but we'll see how I feel."

"Fried rice and a massage, got it," Han Geng grinned. "Maybe I should restock your alcohol cupboard too, I think you're empty." 

"Completely empty," HeeChul sniffed. "You left me without a drop in the place when you and stick man had your date. Oh, apologize to him for me, I kind of may have stole some of alcohol."

"...You should tell me about these things earlier," Han Geng sighed, shaking his head in amusement as he went to get his shoes. "I'll be back with your alcohol, then cook dinner, okay?" 

"Sounds perfect," HeeChul said, sitting back down on the couch and stretching out. "Get the good stuff too, don't be cheap."

"Your drinks cost as much as the rent does," Han Geng complained in Mandarin as he pulled on his coat. "Be right back!" He stepped out the door. 

"Just because I can't understand you doesn't mean I don't know that wasn't very nice!" HeeChul called after him, settling in with a small smile. Even if Han Geng were to fall in love and be with Zhou Mi, as long as he got nights like this then he would be happy.

*****************************************

It was two days later when Zhou Mi pulled the curtains around KyuHyun's bed away to find a snake coiled up on the slave's pillow. The snake immediately hissed at the intrusion, and didn't see Zhou Mi again for the remainder of the day.

The rest of the week passed quietly, KyuHyun not moving from his spot on the bed, not even for food. By the time the slave finally took human form again, it was Monday night, and he felt infinitely better. Even if he was starving.

Quietly pulling on the clothes that he'd left at the foot of the bed before the shift, KyuHyun gathered the shed skin in a bag he'd left there too to dispose of it easier. He slowly pulled the curtain back from around his bed, looking out into the rest of the room. 

Curled up with a book, Zhou Mi looked up when he heard the fabric rustling, marking his place and setting the book aside. "...Hi? Is it done? I mean... are you done shedding?" he stuttered, getting to his feet. "You need anything?"

"It's done," KyuHyun nodded, holding onto the bag. "I need to uh...get rid of this." He walked to the kitchen garbage. 

"Are you hungry? You haven't eaten all week," Zhou Mi said, trailing after him. "I could make some rolled eggs real quick, unless you need something more filling."

"Rolled eggs are fine," KyuHyun said, dumping the bag in the garbage. His stomach woke up at the mention of food and the snake turned away, slightly red. 

"Food it is," Zhou Mi chirped happily, getting ingredients out. "This is probably going to sound a little cheesy, but I kind of missed you. I mean I know you were just right over there but I missed your company."

"Why? I didn't think I was that great company in the first place." KyuHyun looked over at him, quickly getting out of the way before he was plowed over. 

"Why would you think that?" Zhou Mi pouted at him. "I think you're great company. Even if you don't say much, it's just nice to have someone around who listens you know?"

"...I guess." KyuHyun messed up his hair, looking down at the floor. He'd never been told he was good company before, and maybe it was because of that he felt the need to apologize a little. "I'm sorry if I was a little...testy before shedding." 

"I already told you you don't need to apologize," Zhou Mi said, humming to himself as he cracked eggs into a bowl. "While you were indisposed I did some reading, and just reading about what snakes go through to shed makes me itch all over. I understand why you weren't so pleasant. It's okay."

KyuHyun blinked. "You read about snakes? I thought you didn't have any snake books here?" He wanted to ask why Zhou Mi would put so much effort into understanding him, but didn't want to sound like a broken record always asking 'why'. 

"I didn't, but I had time so I went to the library," Zhou Mi said, nodding towards a stack of books on the table. "I learned a lot about snakes, and Signs. Which will help us both get along better."

The snake nodded slowly, glancing at the books Zhou Mi had pointed out. That was a lot of books.

"You could also ask _me_ ," he said after a moment, looking back at the human. He kept out of the kitchen and out of the way. 

"And I will," Zhou Mi said, smiling brightly at him. "But I really didn't have much else to do while you were in snake mode, and I thought it was a perfect opportunity to learn things that you might not even know about yourself."

"..." KyuHyun's eyes narrowed. "Like what?" He wasn't sure if he liked the sound of that or not. 

Zhou Mi blinked at KyuHyun's tone. "I just mean... biological things, like what kind of food is the best and the perfect ambient temperature. Nothing bad... well there were some punishment chapters but I didn't read them."

KyuHyun suppressed a shiver. "Okay." He knew those far too well anyway. "I'll eat pretty-much anything though, you don't need to look up things like that." 

"But there's a whole book on recipes," Zhou Mi said, abandoning the eggs to start digging through the pile. "See, some snakes are put through pageants, and they have whole recipes to give snakes shinier scales. I thought maybe I could make you some of them for dinner. They sound delicious!"

"What?" KyuHyun blinked, trailing after him a few feet. "But...you've never even seen my scales, why would you care if they're shiny or not?" 

"Because shiny scales are a sign of good health," Zhou Mi said, holding the book out to him. "And I caught a glimpse of your scales the other day, though I've never seen you in your half form."

The snake took the book, flipping through the pages and trying to understand the words written on them. At least there were pictures every few recipes. Okay, some of them didn't look that bad. "I didn't think you even had time to see anything, you were gone fast." 

"Like I said, a glimpse," Zhou Mi chuckled. "Oh! The eggs!" hurrying over to where he'd left them cooking, he frowned slightly as he poked at them. "I caught a hint of purple, which I must say goes very well with the bedspread."

"Purple and blue," KyuHyun said, sniffing; if there was one thing he was proud of, it was his scale colors. He had been the only one in his clutch with both colors equally. "These don't look that bad." 

"The recipes? No, they don't look bad at all," Zhou Mi said, flipping the eggs carefully. "And purple and blue is a beautiful combination. I'm sorry I ran away that first morning, but the hissing did scare me just a little."

"Sorry." KyuHyun winced, closing the book. "You startled me, I really couldn't see very well." 

"I'm the one who should apologize for startling you," Zhou Mi said, looking up at him. "Next time, I won't scream like a little girl."

"Are you scared of snakes?" KyuHyun asked, somewhat amused by the fact someone who screamed at the sight of a snake would _buy_ a snake. 

"... Only when they surprise me," Zhou Mi sniffed. "I am perfectly fine seeing them if I know they're and even though I know it was a possibility it still surprised me a little."

KyuHyun raised an eyebrow. "So it wouldn't bother you if I decided to take animal form every now and then." 

"Not at all," Zhou Mi smiled. "I think your animal form is beautiful. As long as I don't have to bring you home mice to eat, you can be in snake form whenever you wish."

"I'll save you the trauma of watching me eat a live mouse," KyuHyun drawled, smiling slightly as he looked back down at the book in his hands. 

"Good," Zhou Mi said, a little relieved. "As much as I want to make sure you stay healthy, I can't bring myself to intentionally bring back an animal just to have you kill it."

"I _can_ survive off rodents, but I like your cooking better." The other man glanced up at him. 

Zhou Mi's lips curled upwards at that as he plated the egg. "Well, I've never been complimented on my cooking before, but thank you. It's nice to feel appreciated and useful. Even if I'm sort of an idiot most of the time, as long as I keep you fed then you'll be happy right?"

"Food would make anyone happy," KyuHyun said, placing the book back down. "What are we doing later?" 

"No idea, I guess that's up to you," Zhou Mi shrugged, bringing the plate over to the table with utensils. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know what there is to do, besides practice reading and writing." KyuHyun brightened at the food; he really was hungry. 

"If you're feeling up to practicing, then go right ahead," Zhou Mi said, going back to the kitchen to get KyuHyun a glass of water. "I really wasn't planning on doing much more than reading myself."

KyuHyun sat down to start eating. "Okay. I'll try not to throw the book this time." 

"That would be appreciated," Zhou Mi chuckled, setting down the glass for him and taking a seat.

The snake focused on the food, more interested in getting it into his empty stomach than with conversation. It didn't take him long to finish the plate. "What are you reading right now?" he asked finally. 

"... A book about socialization in Signs," Zhou Mi said, glancing at the plate. "Do you need more?"

KyuHyun cleared his throat, color appearing in his cheeks as he shook his head. "No...it was good. What do you mean socialization?" 

"About how different signs socialize, whether within their own caste or with human or whatever," Zhou Mi said.

"...Okay," KyuHyun blinked, not getting why there would be a book on that, but not voicing any opposition to it. Instead he switched the subject, asking Zhou Mi about the other books in his collection.

Whether it was because he felt bad for snapping at Zhou Mi when the shedding started, or for other reasons, KyuHyun seemed to make an effort to be less confrontational that week. Sometimes things Zhou Mi did annoyed him, but the snake either held his tongue or tried to say so in a way that wasn't accusing.

 

*****************************5

 

By the following Saturday, they were a week away from a full month of living together. KyuHyun had gotten bored of writing and instead took to a sudoku book he'd found gathering dust in a corner. After pestering Zhou Mi to show him how it worked, he stretched out on the floor next to the window and didn't move for the rest of the day. 

Zhou Mi on the other hand hadn't spent most of his time reading, instead he was working furiously at his desk writing down notes. He had months before he needed to finish his thesis but it was never too late to start on it. Mostly it was because he wanted to distract himself from the impending second date with Han Geng, which he really shouldn't have been so nervous about.

By the day of, Zhou Mi was antsy and pacing around the apartment. He'd showered, shaved, and was looking (in his opinion) rather dashing. "I think you should spend some time over with HeeChul," he said to KyuHyun while he was walking around the couch. "I think he could really help you with your writing."

"He'll just drink your alcohol again," KyuHyun looked up at Zhou Mi, brow furrowed as he was distracted from trying to figure out where the next number would go. He rolled closer to the window to get out from underfoot. "Why are you going around in circles, you're going to make yourself dizzy." 

"Am not," Zhou Mi grumbled. "And I don't mean have him come here, I mean go see him. It's only fair since he barged in on you then you should go over there. I was really hoping you and he would be friends... Do you not like him?"

"I didn't say that," KyuHyun sighed, sitting up rather than stay sprawled out on his stomach. "I just don't think I should be going anywhere if you're not around." 

"Going down the hall isn't really going anywhere," Zhou Mi said, choosing to sit down on the edge of the couch. "You're not a prisoner here KyuHyun, you can go anywhere you'd like."

"It just doesn't..." KyuHyun frowned. "I'm still trying to get used to this. Okay?" 

"...Okay," Zhou Mi nodded. "If you don't want to go, that's fine. I just don't want you to get lonely while I'm out."

"I'll think about it." KyuHyun sighed. "Don't worry about me. There's your date," he said as there was a knock on the door. "Have fun." 

"I plan on it," Zhou Mi said, though he frowned worriedly as he got to his feet. "Just think about what I said... and don't wait up for me, I might be back late." Waving, he went to the door and slipped on his shoes as he opened the door. "Hi, right on time as usual," he grinned at Han Geng.

"I can't help it, I was looking forward to tonight," Han Geng smiled at the other man. "Ready to go?" 

"I am," Zhou Mi nodded, stepping out and closing the door. "We still on for dancing? I know the perfect place and it's not that far."

"Lead the way," Han Geng grinned. He walked beside Zhou Mi to the elevator, pressing the call button. "I'm not familiar with any clubs in the area." 

"I just happened on this one right after I moved," Zhou Mi said, rocking back and forth on his feet. "Not crazy loud, and the drinks are reasonably priced. I'm sorry we had to put this off, I've been really looking forward to tonight as well."

"It's understandable, I wouldn't want you to be worried the whole evening," the other man replied. "You don't have to apologize." 

"KyuHyun thinks I was being silly for staying," Zhou Mi said, stepping onto the elevator when it arrived. "But it all worked out in the end."

"I'm sure he's glad you stayed either way," Han Geng smiled, following him and pressing the button for the lobby. 

"I think so, but he's very hard to read," Zhou Mi said, lips pursed. "I can't tell if it's because he's a snake or if it's because he still doesn't trust me. Was HeeChul like that?"

"Not really, he was easy to read," Han Geng blinked. "He was very vocal about things, but I don't think he really expected to be able to get away with it. There was always a sense of testing his boundaries, for a long time." 

"I haven't seen KyuHyun trying to test his boundaries so far," Zhou Mi said, leaning up against the elevator wall. "He won't even try, he's just stuck in the same spot and won't even try to do something unless told. I have a long way to go with him."

"That depends on what you consider testing your boundaries," Han Geng shrugged. "They come from a place where even speaking their mind or forgetting to say the word 'master' could result in a lashing. Does he speak out?" 

"Rarely," Zhou Mi replied. "Only to question why I'm not making him work or why I'm not punishing him."

"It'll come," Han Geng smiled at him, stepping out of the elevator as it reached the lobby. "He and HeeChul are different, they'll deal with their situation in different ways. HeeChul I think was constantly trying to get a reaction out of me, I'm not sure if he was relieved or frustrated when I didn't turn around and hurt him." 

"You must have a very close relationship with HeeChul after all this time," Zhou Mi said as they walked towards the doors. "Does he do anything besides drink everyone's liquor and roll his eyes?"

"He has some hobbies, but he'd probably kill me for letting people know he does." Han Geng smiled fondly. "Our relationship...is very close yeah, we know we can trust each other. And he knows that I won't let anyone hurt him, no matter who they are." 

"That's good," Zhou Mi said, glancing at Han Geng, his lips curling slightly at the man's expression. "I hope KyuHyun and I can get to the point you two are at."

"You will," Han Geng chuckled, looking back at Zhou Mi. "It might take time, but you will. Your heart's in the right place and you sound like you really do care about him, and that's all that matters. It'll reach him eventually." 

"I'm really glad I've had you to help me with this," Zhou Mi said, linking his elbow with Han Geng's. "You've taught me so much."

"I haven't done anything really," Han Geng laughed, smiling wider at their linked arms. "Just answer your questions." 

"That's more than enough to me," Zhou Mi said, wrinkling his nose a little. "The dates are an added bonus."

"They're more than just a bonus," the other man chuckled, looking around the street as they walked. "Hmm...maybe we should take HeeChul and KyuHyun out of the city some day. I know HeeChul would never stop whining about having to actually walk around in the great outdoors, but I'm sure we can find somewhere to take them." 

"I think KyuHyun will like anywhere we go, he loved the park despite the asthma attack," Zhou Mi said, seeing the club up ahead. "There are some Sign friendly restaurants we could take them to, ones near the tournament arenas."

"Really, I've never heard of them," Han Geng blinked. "I try to stay away from the tournament areas, especially when it's close to tournament season." 

"I'm more familiar with that part of the city since I spent so much of my youth going to the tournaments," Zhou Mi said. "But the restaurants are nice, the owner at one of them even hires free Signs."

"That's not something you see often," Han Geng said, looking up at the club as they approached. "I wish more places would hire Signs. Is this the club?" 

"It is," Zhou Mi grinned, pulling Han Geng to the door. The music could be heard even from outside, but it wasn't nearly as overwhelming as some places Zhou Mi had been. "You said you like to dance, are you good?" Zhou Mi asked the other man as they paid their cover and stepped in through the doors.

"I haven't had the chance to dance in a while, but I like to think I'm good," Han Geng chuckled, looking around the inside of the club. "You?" He took Zhou Mi's hand to avoid losing him in the crowd. 

"No, I'm all knees and elbows," Zhou Mi said, trying to keep close as they started to push through the crowd. "But that doesn't stop me from enjoying myself!"

Han Geng laughed, leading into the middle of the club. "That's the spirit." He stopped once they were far enough in, turning to face Zhou Mi and resting his hands against the other man's hips. 

"Don't you dare wander off," Zhou Mi said, resting his arms over Han Geng's shoulders. "And I'm not letting anyone cut in." He tried to move with the music, hips canting side to side.

"Why would I wander off?" the other man asked, hands helping to guide Zhou Mi in time with the beat. "Just follow me," he said, needing to bring his lips close to Zhou Mi's ear to avoid shouting. 

"Just saying, in case you see a better dancer out there," Zhou Mi said, leaning in a little more.

"I'd rather dance with you," Han Geng smiled, bringing Zhou Mi closer to him as they found their rhythm, lights flashing overhead. 

It was easy for Zhou Mi to let himself go, get lost in the music as he danced with Han Geng. He could tell the other man was a good dancer, and even though he didn't say anything Zhou Mi knew the other man was laughing at his awkward attempts at following. It didn't matter, he was having fun and it felt good to pressed up close to Han Geng, even sneaking in a small kiss.

Losing complete track of time, Zhou Mi was beginning to get thirsty. "Why don't we take a break and get a drink?" he suggested, lips against Han Geng's ear.

"Sure," Han Geng replied, one hand pressed against the small of Zhou Mi's back. He pulled away just enough to scan the club quickly, locating the bar. His arm slipped around the other man's waist as he found them a path through the crowded bar.

Reaching the bar, Han Geng was relieved to see it was less crowded there, finding them a spot near the end of the bar. "My treat," he chuckled beside Zhou Mi's ear. 

"I'll treat you next time," Zhou Mi said, motioning to the bartender for a drink. "Are you having fun?"

"Lots of fun. It helps to have good company." Han Geng replied. "This was a good idea. Are _you_ having fun?" 

"I'm having a wonderful time," Zhou Mi grinned. "I hope my horrible dancing isn't embarrassing you any."

"I think you dance wonderfully," Han Geng chuckled. "And I don't mind helping you out a little either." He rested his hands on Zhou Mi's waist, turning the other man to face him. 

"You'll have to teach me how to make it look so easy," Zhou Mi said, tilting his head slightly.

"It's not that difficult, you just need to loosen up a little," Han Geng murmured, guiding Zhou Mi from side to side. "Let yourself go." 

Lips curling a little, Zhou Mi leaned in closer to speak into Han Geng's ear. "I can try, you'll have to give me some... private lessons." He pulled back when the bartender dropped off the drinks, picking his up and sipping at it. "Thanks for the drink."

"No problem," Han Geng looked amused, pulling over a bar stool for Zhou Mi before sitting down. "Let me know when you want to leave, I could stay here a long time." 

"We can stay a while," Zhou Mi said. "I want to enjoy my drink, enjoy the music, and enjoy seeing you so liberated. You really come alive when you're dancing."

Han Geng grinned. "Well, everyone has something they enjoy. I'd much rather dance than push papers." He sipped from his drink. "What do you enjoy doing?" 

Thinking about that for a moment, Zhou Mi took another sip of his drink before setting it back down on the bar. "Don't laugh, but I love singing. I may not have any rhythm in my body but I can sing. It's one of the few things I know I'm good at and proud of it."

"Why would I laugh?" Han Geng asked. "I'd love to hear you sing sometime. I'd say now, but I wouldn't be able to hear you over the music." 

"Maybe later," Zhou Mi said, finishing off his drink. "How about we stay another hour, and then head home?"

"Okay," Han Geng chuckled at how quickly Zhou Mi went through his drink. "Are you going to last another hour?" 

"I've lasted this long haven't I?" Zhou Mi said, getting back up to his feet. Taking Han Geng's hands, he pulled him back out to the floor.

An hour passed by in almost no time at all, both of them having far too much fun to keep an eye on the clock. They found a semi-secluded spot to dance where they wouldn't be jostled by the crowd, barely an inch between them. A few more kisses were shared amongst laughter and smiles.

Finally they agreed to head back to the apartment, separating themselves from the crowd and leaving the club. The cooler air outside was a relief after the heat of the club. "That was a good idea," Han Geng said as they walked back, arm still around Zhou Mi's waist. 

"Yes it was," Zhou Mi nodded, leaning slightly against him as they walked. "You really are a great dancer. Did you ever think of pursuing dancing?"

"For a small amount of time yes, but I think I'm happy just leaving it as a hobby," Han Geng said. "I didn't want money to ruin dancing for me." 

"You were worried you wouldn't do well," Zhou Mi stated, pouting a little. "I can understand that. I had considered trying to be a singer, but I had more passion for pursuing equal rights than my own career. At the very least, you can dance with me anytime you want."

"I enjoy that more," Han Geng smiled, thumb brushing lightly against Zhou Mi's side. "Maybe we should go karaoke sometime. Would you enjoy that?" 

"I _love_ karaoke," Zhou Mi nodded enthusiastically. "We can do that next time."

"Next Saturday?" Han Geng grinned, looking down at him as they turned onto the street of the apartment. 

"I think I can pencil that in," Zhou Mi said, pulling away from Han Geng to dance and bounce his way towards the apartment. "I may not be good at it, but I love dancing!" he said, arms flailing out wildly.

Han Geng burst out laughing at the other man's antics. "What are you talking about, you're great!" He caught Zhou Mi's hand and pirouetted the man around like a ballerina. 

"I look like one of those puppets on strings compared to you," Zhou Mi said, stumbling over his own feet when the spinning stopped, crashing headlong into Han Geng.

Stumbling, Han Geng stopped them both from falling over, arms around Zhou Mi. "But I'm sure your voice is ten times greater than mine." He snuck in a kiss. 

"Maybe," Zhou Mi grinned, getting himself righted and returning Han Geng's kiss. "Guess we'll see." Chuckling, he pulled away, taking the other man's hand and pulling him towards the door of the building. "So... we still on for that drink?"

"Hmm...sure," Han Geng smiled. "KyuHyun won't mind if I'm there?" He opened the door for Zhou Mi. 

"He says he doesn't," Zhou Mi said, his mouth quirked a little. "I tried to get him to go over to your place to spend time with HeeChul... but we'll see."

"Well he's more than welcome to keep HeeChul company, HeeChul spends more time on his own than I'd like," Han Geng said as they stopped outside the elevator and pressed the call button. "Snakes and roosters have some similarities, they're two of the least favored Signs." 

"They're also predator and prey," Zhou Mi said. "That doesn't seem to bother HeeChul though, which is good. I was a little afraid he'd go full chicken when I brought KyuHyun over."

"HeeChul doesn't let any Sign push him around, not even a snake," Han Geng shook his head in amusement. "I've only seen him go full chicken a handful of times." 

"He definitely defies all stereotypes," Zhou Mi said, glancing up when the elevator door opened. He waited until the couple who were on board got off before stepping in. "KyuHyun sort of lives up to the snake stereotype. Very closed off. Kind of moody. He's interesting to watch."

"I'm glad that HeeChul doesn't follow the stereotype," Han Geng said, shaking his head. "Stereotypes were pushed onto them by humans, humans who wanted to fit each Sign into neat categories so as to control them better. They were so effective Signs have trouble seeing themselves any other way now." 

Zhou Mi's brow furrowed slightly at that and he looked down. "I never thought of it that way... but you have a point. Human's struggled so long to break stereotypes, but I guess it was just easier to push them onto Signs."

Looking at Zhou Mi, Han Geng quirked a sad smile and pulled him closer. "All it comes down to is conditioning. Humans have been conditioned to think a certain way, and so have Signs. We just need to work past that." 

"Absolutely," Zhou Mi nodded, looking up at him. "See, this is why I say you've been so helpful. I'd be floundering in my thesis without you."

"I'm just thinking out loud," Han Geng chuckled. "I've never had the chance to talk to anyone about this, and HeeChul as you can imagine doesn't appreciate the conversation." He stepped out of the elevator as it opened. 

"Well you can always think out loud to me," Zhou Mi said, pulling his keys out of his pocket and starting down the hall.

Lips quirking, Han Geng followed Zhou Mi to his apartment. As they stepped inside, KyuHyun looked up from where he was still working on the sudoku book, blinking. "Welcome back?" 

"Thank you, I hope you had a pleasant quiet evening," Zhou Mi said, giving KyuHyun a warm smile. "I invited Geng in for a drink, I hope you don't mind?"

"Why would I mind," KyuHyun shrugged, vacating the couch so they would have a place to sit. He went back to his usual spot by the window, dropping down.

Not bothered by the untalkative snake, Han Geng slipped out of his shoes. "I don't think I've been in your apartment before," he mused, looking around. "Very nice." He'd switched back into Korean so KyuHyun wouldn't feel excluded. 

"It's not that different from yours," Zhou Mi said, going to the kitchen. "Yours definitely has more of a lived in feel, I'm still trying to decorate here."

Han Geng followed him to the kitchen entrance. "It still has it's differences. I don't have this many books for one," he chuckled, spotting a pile on the desk. 

"Most of them are library books," Zhou Mi admitted, getting down two glasses from the cupboard. "While KyuHyun was shedding I spent a lot of time reading about snakes and what they need. I have a much better understanding now of snakes. Before I went to the breeding house, I had actually intended on getting either a dog or a horse, but I ended up with a snake."

"Dogs are one of the well-known signs, they're more common in this part of the world," Han Geng smiled. "My family in China has a dog, he's been with us as long as I can remember." 

"Same, my father had a dog fighter that was one of my friends," Zhou Mi said, sighing a little. "Or as close as friends as we could get being master and fighter. Unfortunately my father decided to sell him for a stronger ox fighter."

Han Geng frowned, leaning against the counter. "Did you ever find out what happened to him?" He knew without looking that KyuHyun was watching them. 

"He ended up in one of the more prominent fighting houses," Zhou Mi said, getting out a bottle of wine from the pantry. "I'm actually okay with the house he went to, the Kim house treats their fighters with the utmost respect. I know he'll be taken care of there."

"I'm not familiar with the Kim house, but then again I don't follow the tournaments," Han Geng shook his head. "But I'm glad to hear he ended up somewhere he'll be treated well. There don't seem to be many houses like that." 

"Only a couple," Zhou Mi nodded, pouring them both a glass. "And when my father retires, only one. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like things for Signs are getting worse when it comes to the tournaments. More and more die each year, and the games commissioner keeps expanding the number of fighters allowed in each year."

"Probably to compensate for the number of deaths," Han Geng murmured. "For every step forward we make in certain areas, the tournaments take a step back. I heard that the same year they made breeding outside the breeding houses illegal, the tournaments stopped penalizing for deaths in the preliminaries." 

"And the only reason they made back yard breeding illegal is because the quality of fighters was being diminished," Zhou Mi said, lips pressed into a line. "Too many irregularities in stock. Doesn't stop some of the more influential houses though."

"No," Han Geng shook his head, sighing. "I'm sorry, we were having such a nice conversation before." 

"Don't apologize," Zhou Mi said, reaching over to touch Han Geng's hand. "Sign rights is something we're both passionate about, it's only natural our conversations turn there. I would rather us talk about this than have nothing to talk about."

"There are other things to talk about though," Han Geng chuckled, glancing at KyuHyun who quickly looked away. "I think our conversation might be unsettling to someone," he said quietly in Mandarin, looking back to Zhou Mi. 

"I imagine it would be," Zhou Mi nodded, nudging Han Geng's glass towards him. "I doubt it will be the last time it comes up though."

"Probably not," Han Geng's lips quirked slightly and he took his glass with his free hand, pulling Zhou Mi closer to kiss him lightly. "Thank you for the drink." 

"You're welcome," Zhou Mi grinned against Han Geng's lips and kissed him again. "And thank you for the wonderful evening."

"It's not over yet," the other man chuckled, drawing Zhou Mi towards the couch. "Let's sit down, I don't know about you but my feet are killing me after all that dancing." 

"Okay..." Zhou Mi glanced over to where KyuHyun was sitting as he followed Han Geng to the couch. He wanted until the other man was seated before kneeling down into the cushion and sitting on his legs. Glass cupped in his hands, he took a small sip before setting it down. "How's the wine? It's not a good year or anything," he said, babbling nervously. "But the label was pretty."

Sipping at the wine, Han Geng hummed in approval. "It's good, I like it."

KyuHyun eyed them, sensing the awkwardness, before sighing softly and standing. "Zhou Mi? I'll go...uh...see what HeeChul's doing. If that's fine." 

Looking up, Zhou Mi blinked at KyuHyun. "Oh... okay, if... uhh... if that's what you want to do," he said, trying not to look _too_ pleased with KyuHyun leaving. "You can take the bottle of liquor he already opened, might as well let him finish it off."

KyuHyun nodded, going to the cabinets and pulling out the mentioned liquor bottle. He made his way to the door. "Later." He quickly left the apartment, the door shutting behind him. 

"... I think that's improvement?" Zhou Mi said, glancing at the closed door. "Last week he'd have waited for me to order him to go somewhere else... Not that I would have, but having him stare at us was a little um... a little uncomfortable."

"I think it was uncomfortable for him too," Han Geng shook his head. "But that would be improvement, yeah. See? He'll get there." 

"Yeah..." Zhou Mi said quietly, lowering his eyes. "I can't help but wonder if this was a good idea. I'm feeling a little selfish for dating while I'm supposed to be helping him to grow and develop as an individual."

"I don't think anyone would fault you for some time to yourself." Han Geng covered Zhou Mi's hand with his own. "But if you want to take this slower or something so you can spend more time helping him, that's fine. I've been in that spot before." 

Zhou Mi looked down at the hand over his own, thoughts torn about what to do about KyuHyun. "I've really been looking forward to tonight," he said, sliding his free hand over top of Han Geng's. "I think... I think I can be selfish for just one night."

Lips quirked, Han Geng sipped his wine before placing the glass down. "It's not selfish." He leaned forward to press a soft kiss to Zhou Mi's lips. 

Zhou Mi wanted to argue, but gave up in favor of the kiss. When he pulled back, he smiled a little up at him, resting his head on the back of the couch. "So, where does this leave us?" he asked, lifting a hand to trace a finger down Han Geng's jaw. "We could finish our wine... or go somewhere a little more comfortable?"

"Hmm..." Han Geng looked into Zhou Mi's eyes. "As good as the wine is, I think I like your other suggestion better," he murmured, hand resting against Zhou Mi's hip. 

"The wine will still be there later," Zhou Mi said, sliding off the couch and getting to his feet. "If we feel like coming back down for more that is." He held out his hand for Han Geng, smiling softly.

Chuckling, Han Geng took Zhou Mi's hands and stood. "If being the key word. Lead the way." 

"I thought you'd catch that," Zhou Mi grinned, pulling him gently towards the stairs. "I hope you don't think I'm too forward when I say that... I really didn't have drinks in mind when I invited you up."

"I had a feeling, but I didn't want to assume," Han Geng said, following him to the stairs. They headed up to the loft bedroom, Han Geng looking around the space before turning his gaze back to Zhou Mi with a smile. 

"Well, you would have assumed correctly," Zhou Mi said, stepping close to Han Geng and resting his hands against the man's chest lightly. "I have another confession to make...." he looked down, taking a deep breath before looking into Han Geng's eyes. "I've never actually... been with a man."

Han Geng just smiled reassuringly, running his hands along Zhou Mi's sides slowly. "That's okay...it'll be like dancing. I'll show you. If you're confident this is okay...we haven't known each other that long." 

"I am confident," Zhou Mi nodded. "I don't know why, but I feel a real connection with you, and I trust you. This is okay, I want this."

"Just making sure," Han Geng chuckled softly before leaning in and kissing Zhou Mi again, nudging him back towards the bed. 

Taking the few steps back, Zhou Mi sat down when his knees hit the bed. He was sure, mostly sure that he wanted this. Zhou Mi had never met anyone like Han Geng, so confident and so charismatic. Maybe it was because they were from the same country and spoke the same language, or maybe it was because they had the same thoughts and ideals on important things. Or maybe it was the way Han Geng would kiss him in such a way that made his legs feel like jelly and butterflies bounce around in his stomach. Whatever it was, it was enough for Zhou Mi.

Zhou Mi wasn't completely naive, he had a relative understanding of what to expect once clothes came off and Han Geng started touching him. That knowledge didn't prepare him for wonderful Han Geng's fingers would feel against his skin, and how his brain would melt at Han Geng's warm mouth on sensitive areas. 

The one thing he knew, was that with Han Geng, he had nothing to worry about. There was no fumbling, no confusion, no awkward looks, just complete bliss and sensation. And one thing he was very grateful for, was that KyuHyun wasn't there to hear his muffled cries into his pillow.

Stretched out on his stomach, Zhou Mi hummed contently, letting his skin cool and the feeling return to his toes. "I don't think I can move," he murmured once he had regained his breath.

Lying down beside him, Han Geng laughed quietly at that, running one hand slowly along the other man's spine. "I can, but I don't want to." he pressed a soft kiss to Zhou Mi's temple, hair tickling his nose. "Am I invited to stay for the night?" 

"Mmmm... I think I'll allow that," Zhou Mi smiled tiredly, opening his eyes to look at him. "HeeChul won't be mad you stayed out all night I hope?"

Han Geng thought about that. "He'll probably sulk, but I think I'll be forgiven." He settled in closer to Zhou Mi, wrapping the other man in his arms. 

"At least KyuHyun will keep him company for a little while," Zhou Mi said, rolling a little onto his side so he could nuzzle into Han Geng's neck. "You smell good."

"Hm?" Han Geng chuckled, closing his eyes and burying his nose against Zhou Mi's hair. "If you think so." His hand ran in slow circles along Zhou Mi's back before pulling the sheets up around them. He didn't have much to say, tired and warm. 

Zhou Mi just chuckled softly, not needing to say anything more as he settled into a comfortable and warm sleep. As anxious and nervous as he had been about this, it seemed to be worth it. Geng was everything he could have hoped for.

*************************************6

Time passed gradually, and before KyuHyun knew it he'd been in Zhou Mi's apartment for two months. Some things had improved between them, others they were still navigating. The snake left to keep HeeChul company on his own sometimes, usually because Han Geng was staying over that night and he didn't want to be around for that. He'd gotten better at reading, and was slowly making his way through Zhou Mi's collection of books, asking Zhou Mi to explain unfamiliar words or concepts.

He found himself hiding out with HeeChul a lot near the beginning of the month, as Han Geng would sometimes visit during week nights though he never stayed the night when he had to work. But as the month progressed, the visits slowly diminished back to weekends, and the last week he declined sleeping over for the night. KyuHyun was relieved that he wouldn't have to make himself scarce again, but he could tell Zhou Mi wasn't taking it the same way he was.

"Are you going anywhere tonight?" KyuHyun asked that Saturday afternoon, sitting in his usual spot with the book he was currently on. 

"You think I'd be going anywhere like this?" Zhou Mi sniffed, curled up on the couch in a baggy shirt and sweats, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. "No, obviously I'm staying home tonight, which I'm sure you're happy about."

KyuHyun glanced up from his book at the human. "Don't you always plan something on Saturdays?" he asked, blinking. "He busy?" 

"He said he would let me know if he was free this weekend," Zhou Mi said, closing his eyes. "I'm sure something came up... or he hates me."

"...I thought if you hate someone, you _don't_ smile at them every time you see them." KyuHyun shook his head. "Unless humans work backwards, it didn't look like he hates you." 

"Well obviously there's something he doesn't like about me," Zhou Mi said. "I've barely seen him the past week and when I did... he didn't look like he was enjoying being around me. I think he's realizing that I'm just a neurotic person who has nothing to offer him if even sex isn't keeping his interest."

"Well you're being neurotic right now..." KyuHyun sighed. "Is that why you've barely moved from the couch in over an hour?" 

"You're not one to talk about not moving," Zhou Mi quipped, looking away. "This is my couch, I can sit here for as long as I want to. It's comfortable. Why are you so curious about whether or not I'm leaving? Planning a party while I'm gone?"

"...No." KyuHyun frowned. "I'm just not used to seeing you look like someone kicked your puppy." 

"I'm sorry if my feeling sorry for myself isn't as cheerful as my usual self," Zhou Mi said. "I just don't know what happened."

"Why don't you ask?" KyuHyun asked, just as there was a knock on the front door. 

"... Because I'm afraid of the answer," Zhou Mi said, glancing at the door over his shoulder. Frowning, he got up, blanket still over his shoulders and shuffled over to the door. Cracking it open and looking out, he blinked and opened the door wider. "Uh... hi. I thought you were busy."

"Hi. I was," Han Geng smiled at him lightly. Even from his spot by the window KyuHyun could tell it wasn't as bright a smile as usual. "Can I come in?" 

"Yeah... come in," Zhou Mi nodded, backing up. "You want something to drink?"

"No thanks, I wanted to talk to you about something," Han Geng sighed softly, before looking to KyuHyun. "If it's no trouble, KyuHyun, could you go keep HeeChul company for a bit please? I want to talk to Zhou Mi alone."

Blinking at that, KyuHyun slowly stood up, looking at Zhou Mi for his reaction. 

Zhou Mi couldn't get anything out of Han Geng's expression, the man seeming closed off. Glancing over his shoulder, he nodded to KyuHyun. "If you could, please KyuHyun," he said quietly, turning away from the door and going to sit back down on the couch.

KyuHyun walked to the door, eyeing Han Geng through his bangs as he left the apartment. Han Geng closed the door behind the snake, seeming to steel himself before approaching the couch. "I'm sorry I haven't visited lately," he said, sitting down next to Zhou Mi. 

"Did I do something wrong?" Zhou Mi asked quietly, not able to lift his eyes away from the coffee table at their feet. 

"What?" Han Geng blinked, before shaking his head, switching into Mandarin as he turned to face Zhou Mi. "No...no, you did nothing wrong," he said softly, covering Zhou Mi's hand with his own. "I just...had to do a lot of thinking lately. It was better for me to stay away for a while." 

"Thinking about what?" Zhou Mi replied, looking up at Han Geng with a hurt expression.

Meeting Zhou Mi's expression, Han Geng exhaled slowly, looking down for a moment. He looked up again before replying. "I don't think...we should continue this," he said softly. "I don't see you as more than a close friend. I'm sorry." 

"...Oh," Zhou Mi said, looking away and pulling his hand out from under Han Geng's. "I was right then. Okay. Thanks for letting me know."

Han Geng slowly drew his hands back from his lap, sighing softly. "I...truly am sorry. It isn't you Zhou Mi, you're an amazing wonderful person...but it wouldn't have been fair to you to continue if I can't share your feelings, already I let it go on longer than I should have." 

"How long have you known that you didn't want to be with me?" Zhou Mi asked, his brow furrowed slightly.

"...For a long time," Han Geng replied. "A lot of that time was spent in denial, which was why I needed some time away just to clear my head and think about this properly. I haven't been...entirely honest with you, and I'll understand if you hate me for it." 

Zhou Mi could feel the tears building slightly in the corners of his eyes. "Why did you even go out with me then?" he asked, his throat threatening to cut his voice off.

Han Geng's eyes closed. "Because I wanted to love you, you seemed nice and we had things in common. Because I didn't want to face the fact I had feelings for someone else who society would never let me be with." 

That took Zhou Mi a little by surprise, and he looked up at the other man with a questioning look. "...I don't understand...?" And then it dawned on him, and his eyes widened. "You mean... HeeChul don't you," he asked quietly.

The other man nodded. "I tried to speak with him about it several times, but he always insisted I find someone 'like me' to love. At some point, I believed him. But I can't keep denying it...and I'm so, so sorry I've hurt you in my indecision." 

Zhou Mi's eyes closed, and he shook his head a little. "No... Geng... you can't help who you love," he said, lips twisting in a bitter smile. "I wish you would have told me... I would have understood."

"I had to come to terms with it myself first." Han Geng opened his eyes, looking at Zhou Mi sadly. "I'll understand if you don't want to speak with me again...but I would like to stay friends with you." 

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Mi wasn't sure what to say. His heart was broken into thousands of tiny pieces at that moment and he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to put it back together. But through all of their time together and their long conversations, he had found a true friend in Han Geng, one he didn't want to lose. 

"I'm sorry Han Geng, but I'm going to need some time," he replied after a moment. "I... I _did_ fall in love with you, and right now I'm feeling just a little used. If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone now."

Han Geng nodded, slowly standing. "I'm sorry," he said softly, walking to the door. He didn't say anything else, leaving Zhou Mi alone and heading back to his apartment.

Opening the door, he stepped in, seeing KyuHyun hadn't ventured very far from the entrance. "Thank you," he gave the snake a tense smile.

KyuHyun nodded slightly, eyeing him. "See you later HeeChul." He slipped out the door, Han Geng closing it behind him and sighing. 

Seated on the couch, HeeChul had his arms crossed and eyes narrowed at Han Geng. "What's going on Geng," he said. "And don't give me the same lie about how there's nothing going on that you've given me all week. You woke up in a snit and have walked around in a snit all day and then go over to Mi's for barely twenty minutes and now you're back."

"I wouldn't really call it a 'snit', you've gotten into worse." Han Geng walked over to the couch, sitting down and closing his eyes. He had a moment to compose himself again before looking over at HeeChul. "I broke up with him." 

HeeChul's eyebrows rose at that. "Why? What'd you do? Why are you being an idiot?" he said, punching Han Geng in the arm. "He's a great guy! Perfect for you, even with that nose."

"Ow," Han Geng rubbed his arm. "He _is_ great. He's cute and nice and smart. But he isn't...he isn't you." 

"... _Idiot_ ," HeeChul punched him again, getting to his feet. "We talked about this, this... it can't happen," he said, staring down at Han Geng in frustration. "We can't... I'm not... I'm not _proper_ , or whatever. You're a human and I'm just a damn slave Geng."

"You're a _Sign_. I don't care what they think out there, I've made up my mind." Han Geng stood as well, meeting HeeChul's eyes. "I'm not ashamed I fell in love with a rooster. I'm just ashamed it took me so long to realize it." 

HeeChul didn't know where to look, alternating between looking Han Geng in the eyes and down at his crossed arms. "You're an idiot... a stupid human idiot," he said finally, meeting the other man's eyes again. "Why did I have to fall for an idiot?"

Han Geng smiled in relief. "I like to think it's because you like my cooking." He wrapped his arms loosely around HeeChul's waist. "We'll figure this out. I don't want to have to hide you anymore. If other stupid humans won't change the rules, I'll be the stupid human that will." 

"I'm all for rule breaking, but this could be bad for you," HeeChul said, though he did lean up against Han Geng a little. "I feel bad for Mi... is he okay?"

"I don't think so." Han Geng closed his eyes, resting his cheek against HeeChul's hair. "It would have been worse if I'd let it go on, but...I should have never gotten involved with him." 

HeeChul sighed a little, not sure what to say. Of course Han Geng wouldn't have gone out with Zhou Mi if he hadn't insisted on it, but his only concern had been Han Geng's well being. "Maybe not... but the sex was good at least," he said, pulling back and smirking up at him. "You would come home positively glowing."

"..." Han Geng wrinkled his nose at HeeChul. "That doesn't make me feel any better." 

"Didn't say it was," HeeChul replied. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"I'm sure," Han Geng said firmly, arms tightening slightly around HeeChul's waist. "I've never been more sure. Are you going to keep pushing me away?" 

"Yes," HeeChul answered honestly. "But not all the time."

"...When?" Han Geng blinked, confused. "Or when not?" 

"As usual, when I feel like it," HeeChul shrugged, putting his arms around Han Geng's neck. "Long as you keep me fed and happy, then I think you'll do just fine."

"...Ah, so life as usual," Han Geng smiled at that. "I think I can deal with that." He leaned in and kissed HeeChul softly. 

"Good," HeeChul chuckled, returning the kiss before pulling back. "Now don't you think that because we're... _involved_ I'm going to happily trot up to your bed. I won't be a rebound."

"I'm not looking for a rebound," Han Geng smiled, tucking a lock of hair behind HeeChul's ear. "I'm just looking for you. But I think I'll need some time too." 

"Yeah, which is good," HeeChul said, poking Hen Geng in the belly. "But when we're ready, I'll make you forget all about stick legs."

Back in Zhou Mi's apartment, KyuHyun was at a loss for what to do. He'd come back in to find Zhou Mi bawling on the couch, and had needed to ask twice before he could understand what Zhou Mi was saying through all the tears. Of course understanding Zhou Mi had been dumped didn't make it any easier for him to deal with; he'd never had to worry about these things before.

So he just sat beside Zhou Mi on the couch, a little awkward as he watched the human drink. "...Maybe you should slow down," he said as Zhou Mi started on his third glass. 

"Or maybe you should catch up," Zhou Mi said, sniffling a little as he set the bottle back down, nearly dropping it on the floor. "Not... fair... You being all sober and... and... not just dumped," he hiccuped, easily downing half the glass.

"I can't be dumped if I'm not dating in the first place." KyuHyun frowned, not looking forward to how sick Zhou Mi was going to be after this. Pausing, he reached out and lightly rubbed Zhou Mi's back, figuring since he sucked at saying comforting things he could at least try to act comforting. 

"Never date KuiXian," Zhou Mi said, leaning into the hand and then leaning against the snake. "It's just... not worth it. And boys are stupid, stay away from boys."

Blinking repeatedly at the human leaning against him, KyuHyun sighed and let him, continuing to rub his back slowly. "...KuiXian?" he frowned, pronouncing the word awkwardly. 

" _KuiXian_ ," Zhou Mi corrected, closing his eyes. "That's your name, in Mandarin. It's so pretty."

Murmuring the name under his breath again, trying to pronounce it properly, KyuHyun nodded. "Mandarin sounds...nice. Is it hard to learn?" 

"No," Zhou Mi shook his head, looking up at KyuHyun. "I can teach you... if you want," he said softly, smiling up at him.

The snake's lips quirked slightly. "...Sure." He liked learning things, even if he wasn't sure when he'd ever need to know Mandarin. "How do you say my name again?" 

"KuiXian," Zhou Mi repeated, eyes lowering to watch KyuHyun's lips work out the name again. Without even thinking, he leaned forward and pressed his own against KyuHyun's in a very sloppy drunken kiss.

Eyes widening in shock, KyuHyun immediately pushed the human off of him hard, knocking Zhou Mi to the other side of the couch. "What the _hell_ ," he hissed, wiping his mouth and scooting away. "What was that about!?" 

Too drunk to right himself from the push, Zhou Mi tumbled off the couch with a thump and a squeak. That did help him sober up slightly, and he looked up at KyuHyun with wide eyes. "I... I'm sorry," he whispered. Scrambling to get back up, he knocked the glass off the coffee table and stumbled his way to the stairs, apologizing the entire way and hiding his face in his hands.

KyuHyun watched him go, not moving from the couch as the human staggered his way up the stairs to the loft above. He felt baffled and more than a little peeved, not sure what to do or _why_ he'd been kissed.

Looking down at the broken glass on the floor, he scowled at the alcohol spreading across the wood. Zhou Mi had been drunk out of his mind, and that was the _last_ time KyuHyun was getting in grabbing range of a drunk human. Getting up, he went into the kitchen to find something to clean up the mess with, leaving Zhou Mi alone. 

Zhou Mi passed out the moment he hit the bed, too tired and emotionally drained to even cry or feel terrible. That was saved for the morning after when he awoke with the worst blinding headache he had ever experienced. As well as a feeling of immense guilt in the pit of his stomach. What he had done was wrong, and stupid, and clearly something that could never happen again.

And it didn't, nor did the two really speak about what happened when Zhou Mi finally emerged from his room well into the afternoon to settle his stomach. In fact, as soon as he was done he retreated back upstairs without saying anything to the snake except a mumbled apology. Either KyuHyun hadn't heard or was ignoring him, but it was the last time Zhou Mi spoke to KyuHyun for weeks after that. Which didn't actually help matters at all, but Zhou Mi didn't know how to face KyuHyun at all.

The irony wasn't lost on Zhou Mi as he knocked on the door at the end of the hall. It had been weeks since he had spoke to Han Geng as well, but he needed advice and Han Geng was the only friend he had, and the only one who might understand.

The door unlocked after a moment and Han Geng opened it, expression politely confused. When he saw Zhou Mi standing at his doorstep, he blinked in surprise. "...Zhou Mi?" He hadn't heard anything from the other Chinese man in weeks, and had thought whatever friendship they had was long over. 

"Hi...I'm sorry for just coming over here like this but I could really use a friend right now and even though the last time we talked it wasn't good I just..." Zhou Mi couldn't hold it in anymore, the tears unloading after being pent up for weeks. "I made such a big mistake and I don't know how to fix it," he wailed.

Blinking repeatedly, Han Geng shook his head before reaching out and lightly placing his hand on Zhou Mi's shoulder, guiding him inside. "Come in, we'll fix whatever it is," he said, eyes concerned. "I'll get you something warm to drink." 

Zhou Mi just nodded in reply, wiping at his eyes as he shuffled in and sat down on the couch. "Whe...Where's HeeChul?" he asked, hiccuping slightly.

"He's...hiding somewhere, I think upstairs," Han Geng said, wisely bringing over a box of tissue. "I'll be right back with something to drink," he smiled sadly at Zhou Mi, disappearing into the kitchen.

When he came back a few minutes later, it was with a cup of hot chocolate that he placed down on the table in front of Zhou Mi. "Here...what's going on?" 

Saying a quiet thank you for the drink, Zhou Mi picked it up and cradled it in his hands. "I did something I shouldn't have," he started, sipping at the drink. "That night... when you and I... when you dumped me... I had a bit too much to drink. And I kissed KyuHyun."

Han Geng slowly sat down next to Zhou Mi. "Oh," he frowned slightly at that. "I guess...it didn't go over very well." 

"He hates me," Zhou Mi said. "I can see it when he looks at me, and he won't say a word to me. I acted like a dumb, stupid slave owner taking advantage of a slave. It's been over a month, almost two months and... I don't know what to do."

"Did you talk to him about it?" Han Geng asked quietly, resting his elbows on his knees. 

"...No, how could I? It was disgusting what I did and I'm completely humiliated," Zhou Mi said, his lip trembling slightly. "He doesn't want anything to do with me now."

The other man sighed softly, looking down at the table. "How do you know that, if you've never spoken to him about it? It might be hard, but you should talk to him." 

"Because I can see it in his eyes, and how he'll walk out of a room if I'm in it," Zhou Mi said. "What if he doesn't want to talk, what if he doesn't want anything to do with me? I h ave no idea what to do."

"You do what you can," Han Geng said, looking at Zhou Mi. "Gaining anyone's trust isn't always easy...even more so once you've lost it. But Signs aren't that different from us. Try talking to him. Avoiding the problem will just make it worse." 

Zhou Mi looked away, fingers curling around the cup. "I'm afraid that I'll be right and he'll hate me no matter what. I don't want to give up on him or what I'm trying to do, but I've lost so much time... I've made such a mess."

Straightening, Han Geng shook his head. "At least you'd be able to say you tried," he said quietly. "If you feel you made a mess, you have to take responsibility for it Zhou Mi. Correct any misconceptions he might have, before he's given too much longer to think about them. If he doesn't understand why you're not talking, he'll be left to form his own conclusions based off his previous experiences...and that's never a good thing. He might hate you. But he also might understand." 

Letting that sink in a little, Zhou Mi nodded before setting the cup down. "You're right, I need to face this head on," he said, getting to his feet. "All I can do is try. I'm sorry for unloading all this on you, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything. Have a good night Geng."

"It's no problem," Han Geng said, standing as well. "Have a good night, Zhou Mi...I'm always around if you need someone to talk to." 

"...Maybe I'll take you up on that," Zhou Mi nodded, going to the door. "I've had a lot of time to think about what happened, between us. It hurt, but I hope you and HeeChul are happy together. I know he means a lot to you."

Han Geng's lips quirked a little sadly. "He does...I hope you find someone who will treat you well. You deserve it." 

"And that's where we disagree," Zhou Mi said, looking over his shoulder with a smile of his own. "Good night Geng," he said, stepping out the door and returning to his own apartment. It took a moment of deep breathing and settling his nerves before he opened the door and stepped in. "KyuHyun?"

KyuHyun looked up from where he was reading in his curtained-off corner of the room, frowning. Reaching out, he pulled the curtain back all the way so he could see Zhou Mi standing at the door. He closed the book in his hands. "...Yeah?" 

"Can we talk?" Zhou Mi asked, stepping into the living room and sitting down on the arm of the couch. "If you're not busy that is."

The snake eyed him for a moment. "Sure." He placed the book down on the bed, standing and making his way to the couch. He sat down at the opposite end, watching Zhou Mi and not saying anything. 

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Mi looked over at KyuHyun with a sorrowful and remorseful expression. "I'm sorry," he started. "I'm sorry for what I did to you, and I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to get my head out of my ass to talk to you. I felt such guilt, and was so ashamed for acting like... like a _master_ that I was sure you hated me. You don't have to accept my apology, or even believe me, but I needed to say it."

KyuHyun frowned, meeting Zhou Mi's eyes for a long moment before looking away. "...Why did you kiss me?" he asked finally, expression unreadable. 

"Because I was drunk, and heart broken, and you're so..." Zhou Mi trailed off, fiddling with his fingers. "That's not an excuse, and I am sorry."

"I'm so _what_?" KyuHyun asked, not understanding and not about to let Zhou Mi get away without elaborating. "Easy?" 

Zhou Mi's head snapped up at that, eyes wide. "What? No! That's not... I don't think of you that way," he said, scooting to sit down on the couch properly. "You're cute. That's what I was going to say. I think you're cute and I love your smile, especially the one you have when you think I'm not looking. Or the glint in your eye when you've discovered something new. And your laugh, how quiet it is, but so very _you_."

Blinking repeatedly, KyuHyun wasn't sure what to think of that. He'd never been told he was cute before; snakes weren't called cute. Let alone by a human.

Leaning back slightly, he shook his head to bring his attention back to the discussion at hand. "I thought the kiss was because you were drunk," he looked away. "But when you stopped talking to me I thought you were mad I didn't go along with it." 

Sighing a little, Zhou Mi shook his head. "No... I _did_ kiss you because I was drunk, don't mistake me. If I hadn't been drunk, I wouldn't have because I'm the biggest coward in the world. I didn't talk to you because I was so ashamed, and I thought you hated me. What I did wasn't right, and I should have never put you into that position."

Exhaling slowly through his nose, KyuHyun slumped against the couch, looking down at his hands clasped in his lap. "I don't hate you," he said after a pause. "Just don't get that drunk again...okay?" 

"I don't plan on drinking ever again," Zhou Mi said. "That headache lasted three days." He watched KyuHyun for a moment, chewing slightly on his lip. "Look, I understand if you'll be hesitant towards me, and we may not get back to being... whatever we were before, but I just want you to know I'm sorry, and I'll never kiss you without your permission ever again."

KyuHyun nodded slowly, the snake's expression impassive as he chewed on his lower lip lightly.

"Would you still teach me Mandarin, or was that a drunk thing too," he asked, glancing at Zhou Mi. 

A small smile forming, Zhou Mi nodded as he scooted a little closer. "I'll still teach you Mandarin. I think it would sound amazing in your voice."

"I don't know about that, I'm going to butcher the pronunciation," KyuHyun said, turning slightly to face the human. 

"I butcher Korean pronunciation all the time," Zhou Mi chuckled, wrinkling his nose. "Do you accept my apology?"

KyuHyun nodded. "As long as you don't do it again." He still wasn't sure what to make of being called cute, but put that aside to think about another time. 

"I won't, I promise," Zhou Mi said, feeling a little better now that he had talked to KyuHyun. "Not unless you ask."

"..." KyuHyun shook his head. That wasn't going to happen. "Where did you go before?" 

"I went to see Geng," Zhou Mi said, looking away. "I needed advice, and I don't know anyone else."

"Ah. Are you, uh... over him yet?" KyuHyun asked, rubbing the back of his head. 

"... I am," Zhou Mi nodded. "It still hurts, but it's not a pain of losing him so much as losing the idea of love. It was nice, for as brief as it was, to feel needed and wanted by someone. I cherish it, and the memories. But I don't love him anymore."

KyuHyun nodded slowly at that. "Okay." He hadn't really liked seeing Zhou Mi that upset.

After a moment he turned to face Zhou Mi again. "Teach me something in Mandarin." A small smirk pulled at his lips. 

Zhou Mi thought about that, lips pursed slightly before he brightened and smiled. "Okay, repeat after me. _Ni shi wo de hao peng you_."

The snake's eyes narrowed in concentration. " _Ni she wo..._ Could you say that again?" He needed Zhou Mi to repeat the phrase again, slower, before he got it. " _Ni shi wo de hao peng you?_ What's that?" 

"It means you are my friend," Zhou Mi said. "I'm glad to have you as a friend KyuHyun. I hope we can be better friends in the future."

KyuHyun blinked repeatedly at the human, wondering if he'd just been tricked. It was clear he wasn't sure what to make of that, meeting Zhou Mi's eyes.

After a moment he looked away. "Maybe I should ask what things mean first," he said, but the corners of his mouth were trying to turn into a smile. 

"Maybe," Zhou Mi chuckled a little. "Or maybe you should ask what you would like to learn to say. That might be easier."

"I don't know," KyuHyun shrugged. "Hello. Goodbye. When's dinner. Anything." 

"Okay, we'll start with the basics then," Zhou Mi said. "We'll be conversing in a hodge podge of Korean and Mandarin in no time."

"I wouldn't count on that," KyuHyun smirked, settling in to try learning a second language. He doubted he'd be much good at it, but it was the fact that he could try to learn something he liked. And if Zhou Mi felt better helping him, then it was two birds with one stone.

Truthfully, he was just glad the whole kiss and following silence had been a misunderstanding. He was starting to get used to the big-nosed, fumbling Chinese man...though he'd never admit that to anyone. 

*****************7

Before either of them realized it, it had been half a year since KyuHyun had been brought to live with Zhou Mi. A lot of progress had been made in their relationship, the misunderstandings were a thing of the past. Zhou Mi did his best to encourage KyuHyun into doing what he wanted to do, and watched the snake take great steps to becoming an independent person.

The snake had mastered reading and writing much quicker than Zhou Mi had anticipated, and KyuHyun was making good progress with his Mandarin. They weren't quite up to the level of back and forth conversation yet, but at the very least KyuHyun had near perfect pronunciation. 

Language skills weren't the only things Zhou Mi had tried to work on. He took KyuHyun out of the apartment as often as he could, showing KyuHyun all parts of the city and building his social skills. That didn't come without its share of problems of course, many people avoiding KyuHyun because of what he was, but that just made Zhou Mi more determined. 

As it happened though, it was in the midst of tournament season, and thousands of people had descended upon the city from all over the country; human and sign alike. It also presented a once in a lifetime opportunity that Zhou Mi couldn't pass up.

"KyuHyun!" Zhou Mi called, sweeping in through the door and slamming it behind him. The mail had arrived, and Zhou Mi was tearing open a letter he had been waiting on for months. "KyuHyun it's here!"

Looking up at the slam and wincing at the volume of the human's voice, KyuHyun stood. "What is?" He put the book down before catching sight of the envelope Zhou Mi was in the process of tearing to ribbons. "Oh, is that from the internship program?"

It was a stupid question though, because he didn't know what else Zhou Mi would be so excited about. The snake wandered closer, curious despite himself. "Well? Were you accepted?" 

Finally getting the letter out of the envelope, Zhou Mi was trembling with excitement when he unfolded it and started to read. Three seconds in and he started squealing, running in place. "I got it! They accepted me!" he beamed happily, looking up at KyuHyun. He went back to reading, skimming over the words until he blinked and reread, a frown forming. "Wait... what?" he flipped the letter over and then back, rereading from the beginning. "No... this... this is _not_ what I had interviewed for..."

Hands over his ears to protect them from further squealing, KyuHyun watched in confusion as Zhou Mi's expression fell into a frown. "...What? What's wrong, you were accepted weren't you?" He watched Zhou Mi read it before lowering his hands and stepping around to try and see the letter over the man's shoulder. "What does it say?" 

"The internship that I interviewed for made their selections," Zhou Mi said, closing his eyes. "It was for sign relations in the federal livestock and agricultural department. They would be the first step for advocating sign rights. Another government department got a hold of my file and application, and they accepted me into their internship." He looked up at KyuHyun with wide eyes. "The Gaming Commission."

"...Okay." KyuHyun looked away, a little paler. "So the people in charge of the Decerto Tournament. I didn't even know they _had_ internships, what the hell do they teach? Do I even want to know?" 

"I don't know either," Zhou Mi shook his head, folding the letter up and setting it on the table. "There are so many things that go into the tournaments, I could see why they would need an intern and from what I understand it's a good way to get into politics because of the connections you can make but... this is the exact opposite of what I wanted. How can I possibly do this? I can't... I can't do this."

"Can't you cancel the internship?" KyuHyun asked, leaning against the wall with a troubled expression. "Not go?" He was well aware of how narrowly he had avoided dying in those rings, and didn't want anything to do with the tournament. 

"It's entirely up to me to go or not," Zhou Mi said, sitting down in one of the chairs. "But... this is... My future depends on doing anything I can, to make whatever connections I can. I can't make a difference if I don't know anyone. I'm graduating next year, I can't afford to wait and go through another interview process to hope I'll get the internship I want."

KyuHyun watched the human, arms folded across his chest. "So...you're going to do it. You're going to take an internship with the Gaming Commission right in the middle of tournament season." 

"It's for next years season," Zhou Mi said. "Which is why I have to take it, once I graduate it would be another year before I could get an opportunity like this." He rubbed at his eyes, wishing he had read the letter wrong. "They've invited me to go to the final match, which is next week. I'll get to spend a whole day with the games commissioner discussing my future."

"Fun," KyuHyun grumbled, liking the sound of this even less. He'd done his best to zone out whatever was happening with the tournament, but what little he had heard about the current games commissioner, he hated. "I guess I'm coming along." 

"You... don't have to go with me," Zhou Mi shook his head. "I would appreciate the support but I don't want to put you through that."

The snake's lips thinned; he really didn't want to go. "I'll have to go with you for the internship next year, won't I? Might as well go to this thing too." 

"I'm sorry KyuHyun, this is not what I had expected to happen," Zhou Mi said, glancing up at him. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault someone screwed up your application," KyuHyun shrugged, pushing away from the wall to sit down at the table. "It's the final match, you said? So we'll only have to sit through one match, not a whole round." 

"Right, just one match," Zhou Mi nodded. "The final match is often brutal though, and it's usually a fight to the death."

"I know," KyuHyun grumbled, messing up his hair and frowning at the table. "Don't worry about me, I'll put up with it, you figure out what you're going to say to the games commissioner." 

"..." Zhou Mi's eyes widened at that and he stood up. "Never mind that, what am I going to _wear_ ," he said. "We have to go shopping," he decided turning on heel to go to the door. "Come on, you'll need something too."

"What? Why?" KyuHyun stood up. "No one's going to be paying any attention to me, the clothes you got me are good enough, no?" 

"KyuHyun, we are going to be in a room full of politicians," Zhou Mi said with a stern look. "Rich, powerful men, who will know the brand of your clothes within ten feet. I have to be wearing something they'll recognize in order to look like I belong with them. It's all about impressions if I want to make any good connections."

"...Oh fine," KyuHyun grumbled, following him to the door. "As long as it's something comfortable I don't care." He stopped, frowning as he thought of something. "...Are they going to care I'm not wearing a proper collar with safeguards?" He touched one hand to the leather collar around his neck. 

"Hm?" Zhou Mi blinked and looked at him. "No, at least they shouldn't. How a master treats his slaves is entirely up to him. You could not wear a collar at all and that would still be my choice."

"Will that leave your good impression though?" KyuHyun asked. 

"Let me worry about that," Zhou Mi said with a small smile. "Let's go, before the stores close."

A little relieved he wouldn't have to give up the collar that was much more comfortable than the one he used to have, KyuHyun nodded. "Yeah." He grabbed his inhaler from where it was on the table; there had been a couple more attacks since getting it, and he never went anywhere without it just in case. Pulling his shoes on, he waited by the door for Zhou Mi. 

The days leading up to the final tournament day were nerve wracking, Zhou Mi not wanting to go nearly as much as KyuHyun. But he put on his best confident face and soon enough they were in a crowd of people, being led to the commissioner's box.

KyuHyun followed a pace behind Zhou Mi, hands clasped in front of him and head bowed, the picture of an obedient slave. He watched those around him through his bangs, lips pressed in a thin line and expression unreadable. He could hear the noise of the crowd already at their seats and waiting for the final match to start, and had a feeling he was going to have a massive headache by the time the day was up.

But at least he didn't have to actually talk to anyone. He didn't envy Zhou Mi right now, at all.

Upon reaching the commissioner's box, they found the man waiting for them. A monkey stood quietly in the corner of the room, wallpaper until she was needed. "Yes, Zhou Mi is it," the commissioner nodded to the graduate student, extending a hand. "Kang HoDong." 

"An honor," Zhou Mi said, bowing first before taking the man's hand. He didn't bother to introduce KyuHyun, the commissioner would just look right through him. "I have to say I was a little surprised about you choosing me for this, I hadn't applied."

"Your house has been a competitor in the rings for a long time, we believe you are more suited to the internship than the other applicants," Commissioner HoDong replied. "You arrived just in time, the match is due to begin soon." He let go of Zhou Mi's hand, motioning towards the elevated seats from which they could see the whole ring. KyuHyun stepped back against the wall opposite the other slave. 

"Yes, my father was pleased with the news," Zhou Mi said, joining the commissioner at the seats. "He was worried for my future since I wouldn't be taking over for him at the house, but he thinks this opportunity is a good match for my talents."

"We could certainly use someone with your talents here. Should you get a position here after your internship, there is much possibility for promotion further down the line. I myself began here as an internship student." 

"That so?" Zhou Mi nodded, feigning interest. "I'll be sure to work hard then, and maybe one day I can be so lucky."

KyuHyun listened to the two talk, keeping a carefully blank expression just in case the commissioner happened to look back, when all he wanted to do was roll his eyes. After a few minutes he tuned them out and focused his attention on the monkey across from him instead. Her expression was even more vacant than his, shoulders slumped slightly and face pale and drawn. She looked like a statue, not shifting or even seeming to breathe. Trying to get her attention subtly, he gave up after a minute; there was no one home it seemed.

The increased roar of the crowd caught his attention, just as the commissioner spoke. "And here we are. It's been an interesting tournament so far, I'm sure you'll enjoy this match." 

"I haven't been keeping up, what signs are up?" Zhou Mi asked, glancing down at the ring.

"A tiger and horse," Commissioner HoDong replied, watching as the referee stepped out onto the field. "Popular opinion is that the tiger will win, of course, but everyone enjoys an underdog every now and then." 

"It's rare a tiger is beaten in the final match," Zhou Mi said, frowning slightly. "Especially when up against a horse."

The commissioner's reply was drowned out by the referee's beginning lines. "Welcome all to the final match of the Decerto Tournament!" he called, the collar on his neck visible clear as day. They never sent a human in to referee a match, with how violent they got. Signs were able to avoid getting caught in the crossfire far more easily, and if they didn't, no one was going to cry over their untimely death anyways. Watching one of the screens from the corner of his eyes, KyuHyun guessed the referee was a dog.

"By the end of this round, we will have our winning fighter, and house! Only two fighters remain! Please join me in welcoming our finalists: the Jung tiger, and the Kwon horse!" 

Zhou Mi watched the match as best he could, trying not to show any disgust in his expression at how the two fighters were pummeling at each other. As the match went on though, he fell into his old habits, making comments about the fighters and their forms. A habit he had long tried to be rid of, but he grew up with watching fighters and critiquing them.

"That tiger is impressive," Zhou Mi said, leaning forward a little more.

"The Jung fighters are always impressive, I can't remember overseeing a year where they didn't have at least two fighters in the final tier," Commissioner HoDong replied, watching the Signs fight for their lives down in the ring. The noise of the crowd was deafening, the referee trying to speak over them and call the hits. "The Jung house won last year's tournament as well." 

"I'm well aware of the Jung house," Zhou Mi frowned, looking up and scanning the VIP boxes across the way. "His methods are... interesting."

"They produce results, which is what spectators come here to see," the commissioner replied. "The more houses that do the same, the more the Tournament will grow." 

"Of course," Zhou Mi nodded, reminding himself to keep his thoughts in check. As much as he hated the idea, he had to stay on the man's good side if he wanted the internship to go well.

The two fighters were wearing out, the horse more so than the tiger. When the end came, it was so sudden KyuHyun didn't even have enough warning to look away from the screen.

The tiger spotted an opening and took it, delivering a roundhouse kick to the horse's head. As the horse stumbled backwards towards the large fissures around them, the tiger stomped both feet heavily into the ground with a roar.

The rock formations on either side of the horse flattened the trapped fighter like an insect, the sickening crunch of bone audible as the horse's whole body including head was smashed by the unforgiving rock.

"And we have our winner!" announced the referee to frenzied cheers. Staring at the screen as blood and other fluids seeped out from the crack between the two pieces of rock, one lone hand sticking out, KyuHyun felt sick. Breath quickening, he reached for his inhaler and turned away from the ring. 

Zhou Mi should have been prepared for it more than he was, having been to so many games growing up. That didn't stop the taste of bile at the back of his throat, or the small intake of breath. A life so quickly snuffed out and for what? Money, and entertainment. He had to look away from the screens, eyes wandering over the people who were on their feet and cheering. Cheering for a senseless death.

"Interesting finish," he said finally, knowing he was expected to say something. "I'm sure Master Jung is quite pleased he has another win for his house."

"I don't doubt he is," the commissioner was smiling. Clearly the reaction of the crowd pleased him. "Splendid match. Master Jung will be by shortly to claim his prize, would you join me in congratulating him?" The referee was announcing the Jung house the winner, the tiger fighter standing beside the dog and catching his breath. 

Zhou Mi glanced towards where KyuHyun was, his expression neutral. "I'm afraid I can't stay," he said when he turned back to the commissioner. "I have some school business to take care of, I'm sure you understand."

The commissioner frowned slightly when his offer was declined before nodding. "Of course, of course. My secretary will be in contact with you at a later date to arrange for your internship next year. We look forward to having you on board." 

"And I look forward to being here, truly," Zhou Mi said, bowing again. "If I didn't have this silly school work to get out of the way then I would be here. I'll see you again in a few months sir."

"Best of luck with the rest of your semester," the commissioner said, nodding his head in return to Zhou Mi. KyuHyun hid his inhaler in his pocket, head lowered and waiting for Zhou Mi to leave. 

Turning around, Zhou Mi didn't bother to look towards KyuHyun as he left the room. Outside, the media were already swarming, and it seemed like something was happening with the way all the cameras were flashing and people yelling. He was nearly trampled over by a couple journalists who were trying to get a statement out of the man who was walking through towards the commissioner's office. 

Zhou Mi's eyes narrowed at who it was, the master of the Jung house. He had only met the man on a couple of occasions, but he knew that condescending smirk anywhere.

KyuHyun tried his best to stay both behind Zhou Mi and out of the way of the crowd, clenching his jaw as he was jostled roughly. Looking up when he noticed Zhou Mi's attention diverted, he saw the same man. Following behind him was someone younger, only a couple years older than KyuHyun himself. He had to be Master Jung's son; the family resemblance was clear. But where the older Jung looked smug with cruel lines etched into his face, the son's expression was carefully neutral like Zhou Mi's.

The younger Jung's eyes met Zhou Mi's for a brief instant before they passed by, the two disappearing into the commissioner's box. 

Taking a breath, Zhou Mi glanced at KyuHyun before starting out again, the crowd of media dispersing now that their quarry was behind closed doors. Even at a slightly faster walk than normal, it still took Zhou Mi longer than he would have liked to be out of the colosseum and back onto the street. Even then he didn't say anything, hailing a taxi and letting KyuHyun open the door for him before sliding in. "Disgusting," he hissed once KyuHyun was in and the door closed. "Absolutely disgusting, and it just keeps getting worse."

KyuHyun hunched down in his seat, not really wanting to think about the horse's fate any more than he had to. "Do they always end matches like that?" he asked after a bout of silence, skin still ashen. The one match he'd seen had the usual broken bones, but no one had died, let alone that brutally. 

"...Sometimes," Zhou Mi said quietly. "The Jung house is known for the fighters being absolutely brutal, especially their dragons. I can't believe how so many people could be pleased, _celebrating_ death like that. This can't go on, I can't live in a world like this."

"What are we supposed to do though?" KyuHyun looked away. "If it weren't for you, _I'd_ be down there in that ring. All my clutch, all my brothers, they're all in there. I don't even know if any of them are still alive. And no one cares if they _are_ dead." 

"I care," Zhou Mi said immediately, looking at him. There was a determination in Zhou Mi's eyes, his expression set as his anger seethed just under the surface. "I care, and I'm going to do something about it. I may not have wanted this internship, but I will use it to my advantage."

KyuHyun looked at Zhou Mi, taking in the human's expression. "How?" he asked. "What are you going to do, Zhou Mi?" 

"The commissioner told me that he started out as an intern himself," Zhou Mi said, looking out the window. "Do you know how much power the commissioner holds? He owns fighting houses, holds their licenses in the palm of his hand. He has political sway because of the importance of the tournament on the economy. If we're going to break the system, we have to do it on the inside."

"...What?" KyuHyun stared at Zhou Mi, wondering if he was misunderstanding something. "Do you mean...you mean you're going to try to be the next Games Commissioner? I thought you wanted nothing to do with the tournament?" 

"I don't, but this is the best way to do it," Zhou Mi said. "My family's standing in the tournament world will give me enough of an advantage to get the job, and with some political help... I could be a shoe in. Do you trust me KyuHyun?"

The snake tried to search Zhou Mi's expression, which was hard to do when the human's face was turned away from him. Glancing towards the taxi driver, KyuHyun reached out and tugged Zhou Mi's shoulder lightly to get the human to look at him, eyes roaming the man's face.

"I trust you," KyuHyun nodded. 

Smiling a little at that, Zhou Mi covered KyuHyun's hand with his own. "Good, because I'm going to need your help if I'm going to do this. Which means I won't be able to give you your freedom like I promised, at least not yet."

KyuHyun looked at the hand covering his, and nodded. "I wouldn't know what I'd do if I was free anyways," he said, meeting the other man's eyes again. "What do you want me to do?" 

"I'm not sure yet," Zhou Mi said, pulling his hand away to settle it into his lap. "We'll need to plan, and I need to talk to Geng."

"You think he'd be able to help?" KyuHyun drew back his own hand, frowning as he looked out the window. 

"He can, he knows more people than I do," Zhou Mi said. "My question to you though... this may take a while, years. Would you be able to stand by my side and watch the games for years on end? Be right in the middle of it all? It's one thing to say you'll help, but we're going to be at the heart of this storm."

KyuHyun needed a moment to think about that, hands clenched in his lap. One match like that had been too much.

"You really think you'll be able to change things with this?" the snake asked finally. "If so, then I can deal with it." 

"I hope so," Zhou Mi said, looking up when the car finally slowed to a stop. "I hope we both can, but this important enough. Let's go see if Geng's home," he motioned for KyuHyun to get out.

Getting out of the taxi, KyuHyun held the door open for the human and closed it behind him, walking quicker to do the same for the building door. "Those people we passed as we were leaving, that was the master of the Jung house, right?" 

"Yes, and his son," Zhou Mi nodded, breezing through the opened door to head for the elevator. "I can't for the life of me remember the son's name right now... YunHo? I think? Why?"

"I don't know any of the houses really, besides their names," KyuHyun shrugged. "He looked like an asshole." 

"He's more than an asshole, he's a lunatic," Zhou Mi said, repeatedly pressing the call button to the elevator. "The things he does to his fighters is worse than torture. He's known for his dragon fighters, and that's usually because they end up going berserk after a couple of years. And then there's his snake..." the elevator doors opened and he stepped in.

KyuHyun blinked at the mention of a snake. "...What about his snake? Do I even want to know?" He followed Zhou Mi into the elevator. 

"It's not something he's kept secret, but isn't widely known either," Zhou Mi said, waiting until the doors closed and he looked at KyuHyun. "Master Jung likes a challenge, and you said yourself that snakes make the worst bedwarmers."

"..." KyuHyun scowled. "HeeChul was saying something about someone taking a snake as a bedwarmer, and I stand by what I said then. I hope he gets bitten, and I hope the snake's poisonous." 

"You're not the only one who hopes so," Zhou Mi nodded. "From what I remember though, his son is a good man, though a little too stiff and formal for my taste."

KyuHyun didn't appear convinced. "I don't see how anyone in a house like that could be good." He looked up once the elevator doors opened. 

"You can't judge a person by their family," Zhou Mi said, starting down the hall. Stopping in front of Han Geng's door, he knocked a few times, and then knocked again after two seconds. 

When the door finally opened, a confused and annoyed looking HeeChul was staring out at them. "Oh... it's you," he sighed, turning away from the door and wandering back in. "Geng, the stick man's here."

"Zhou Mi?" Han Geng appeared at the door a moment later, pleasantly surprised to see both Zhou Mi and KyuHyun. "Hi, come in. How are you both?" He opened the door wider and stepped out of the way. 

"Better now," Zhou Mi said, going in first and pulling off his shoes. "We just got back from the tournament... and there's something I want to talk to you about. You may want to sit down and have a drink handy, you might need it."

"...I'm not sure if I like the sound of that," Han Geng blinked, closing the door after them and going to the living room. He sat down next to HeeChul, watching them as they made their way to the couch. "What did you want to talk about?" 

Getting himself settled, Zhou Mi gave KyuHyun a long glance before turning back to Han Geng. "It's time the tournaments came to an end," he said matter of factly, earning a raised eyebrow from HeeChul. "And I'm going to be the one to do it. But I need help."

Blinking, Han Geng glanced at HeeChul before returning his attention to Zhou Mi. "You really don't mince words. What do you mean, what do you plan on doing? It's not an easy thing to plan to stop the tournaments." 

"I plan on becoming the games commissioner and working on the inside to destroy the entire system," Zhou Mi said. "As you know, the commissioner holds a lot of power and is free to do just about anything. With my family's influence I have a chance at it, but I will need political support as well. That's where you come in."

KyuHyun had expected the Chinese man to look confused, surprised, maybe even shocked at what Zhou Mi was saying. It was a bold idea, but almost impossible. But Han Geng just looked thoughtful, frowning lightly as he looked down at the table.

"You want me to be your political ally, is that what you're saying?" 

"Yes," Zhou Mi nodded. "You told me you had aspirations of getting more involved in politics, and you have already made many connections to help you do so. We can make a real difference Geng. You in senate, me at the gaming commission, we can make a real change in the lives of signs."

Han Geng thought about that, glancing at HeeChul next to him as he nodded slowly. "We won't be able to do this alone," he said, looking back to Zhou Mi. "We need to identify who our allies are, not just in the senate and in the gaming commission, but everywhere. We can't be the only two who think this way, it's just a matter of finding those who do." 

"It's more than that," Zhou Mi said, leaning forward. "We have to plant the seed for others to think about sign's rights. Make it so owning slaves and forcing them to fight is seen as the disgusting and barbaric thing that it is. Next year I'll have my internship, but I've also been offered a position at the university as a professor in Sign relations. A perfect opportunity to talk with the younger generations about freeing the slaves."

"Any opportunity you have, you should take it," Han Geng agreed, nodding.

"...What are we supposed to do?" KyuHyun asked, glancing at HeeChul. 

"Right now there isn't much either of you can do," Zhou Mi said. "Once you and I get further involved in the tournaments, then we can decide more what to do. You'll have a better chance to speak with the signs than I will. But that's a long way off still."

"I don't think bringing him along to your position at the university would hurt," Han Geng mused. "It would help students to be able to speak freely with a Sign themselves." 

"True, and since he's a snake and they see that he isn't a cold blooded vicious animal then maybe their preconceptions about signs could change," Zhou Mi nodded. "Maybe I could borrow your rooster some times as well." HeeChul made a face at that.

"You'd have to ask HeeChul about that," Han Geng laughed, shaking his head. "And I don't know, I'm not sure university students are quite ready for...someone like him." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" HeeChul turned his look on Han Geng. "Am I not pleasant company? Is that what you're trying to say?"

"I think he means that you might uh... offend some of the more... delicate people," Zhou Mi said, choosing his words carefully."

"What he said," Han Geng smiled at HeeChul, patting the rooster's knee. "If they can deal with KyuHyun, maybe you could tag along." 

"Maybe I don't want to go now," HeeChul sniffed. "Who wants to be stuck in a room with a bunch of bratty twenty year olds anyway."

"You didn't want to go before," Han Geng said, amused. He looked back at Zhou Mi. "Looks like we have our job cut out for us. You going to be able to manage both the internship and teaching?" 

"The teaching will only be a couple days a week, same with the internship," Zhou Mi nodded. "If all goes to plan, I won't be teaching for very long. Just enough to get a few of the students talking."

"If you need any help, just let me know," Han Geng smiled. "You're taking on a lot." 

"I know, but it will be worth it," Zhou Mi said. "If I can make any kind of difference for the lives of signs and humans alike, then I have to at least try. We all deserve to live freely."

"We do," the other man agreed, nodding. Blinking, he glanced at the time. "I hate to rush you out, but I have a meeting soon...someone who might be able to help get my foot into the senate, so I shouldn't be late," he chuckled, standing. 

"Oh, of course, good luck with that," Zhou Mi said, getting to his feet. "We should all have dinner tomorrow, to celebrate your venture into the world of politics."

"Sounds good, though I'm sure I won't be celebrating much once I get into the thick of it," Han Geng laughed. "Have a good night, both of you." KyuHyun stood up to follow Zhou Mi. 

"You too Geng, and you as well HeeChul," Zhou Mi said, starting towards the door. Grabbing his shoes, he opened the door and went out into the hall, making sure KyuHyun was following. "Well, now that you know the plan, what do you think?"

"I think you're probably the craziest human I've ever met." KyuHyun followed Zhou Mi to their own apartment, brow furrowed worriedly. "You...think you can actually pull this off?" 

"I do," Zhou Mi said, pulling out his keys to unlock the door. "At least I have to think we can, otherwise it might not happen. "What we're going to do, is going to change the whole world, and no one can ever know it was because we made it happen."

"You're okay with no one knowing it was you?" KyuHyun asked, stepping inside the apartment once the door was open and closing it behind them. "No hero-worshipping?" 

"This isn't about me," Zhou Mi said, glancing at him. "This is about you, and those like you. That is my focus. It's always been my focus."

Blinking at him, KyuHyun's lips quirked as he looked away. Somehow during the half year he'd known the clumsy, talkative human, he'd slowly come to believe him when he said he was going to make a difference. "I think you can do it." 

"Of course I can," Zhou Mi preened, sitting down on one of the couches and relaxing. "Because I'll have your support, and that is the most important part. Having someone who believes in you. You will be so invaluable to me KuiXian. I won't be able to do it without you."

The snake followed him, sitting down on the couch next to him. "I'll help however I can. Even if I'm not sure how right now." 

Zhou Mi held out his hand to KyuHyun, nudging him a little to take it. "Take my hand, I'll show you how you can help."

Looking at Zhou Mi in confusion, KyuHyun lifted his hand and clasped Zhou Mi's lightly. "How?" 

"By staying right here by my side," Zhou Mi said, squeezing KyuHyun's hand and covering it with his other. "By being my support when I need it. By being my motivation when I want to give up."

KyuHyun looked from Zhou Mi's face to their hands, a small smile forming. When he looked up at Zhou Mi again, it was with slitted sapphire eyes, small scales appearing along his hairline and the back of his neck. "I think I can handle that." 

Zhou Mi's eyes widened at the appearance of the scales, curling up at the corners into a smile. "Oh... KuiXian," he said softly. "You are so... beautiful like this."

Smirking slightly, KyuHyun looked down at their hands. "I wouldn't say that." His fingers curled a little tighter around Zhou Mi's. "Say my name again." 

"Hm? KyuHyun?" Zhou Mi blinked, glancing down at their hands as well.

"No," KyuHyun rolled his eyes. "The other name." 

"Oh... KuiXian," Zhou Mi said, looking back up at him with a smile. "You seem to like that name... should I only call you that from now on?"

"Only you, I don't want to listen to anyone else butcher it." KyuHyun used their joined hands to pull Zhou Mi closer, kissing the human. 

Zhou Mi wasn't expecting the kiss at all, in fact he thought he had fell into KyuHyun and pulled back immediately. "I'm sorry, that was... an accident," he said, blinking in confusion. "... Was it?"

KyuHyun looked back at Zhou Mi, not sure how to take that. "No, that was very much on purpose actually." 

"Oh... oh... _Oh!_ " Zhou Mi's eyes widened. "You... I mean... I thought you didn't... Why did you kiss me?"

The snake pulled back his hands, embarrassed now. "You said that you liked me a while ago." 

"I did... and I still do," Zhou Mi said, pouting a little when KyuHyun pulled back. "I didn't think you were... interested."

"There's a big difference when you trust someone," KyuHyun shrugged, looking away awkwardly. 

Scooting a little closer, and turning so he could look at the snake properly, Zhou Mi reached over to touch KyuHyun's hand. "KuiXian... tell me."

KyuHyun wrinkled his nose slightly. "...I guess I like you, even if you're the craziest human I've ever met." 

"Then I guess there's something to be said about being crazy," Zhou Mi said, leaning in a little. "I like you too KuiXian, and I wouldn't mind kissing you again if that's okay with you."

"It's okay with me this time," KyuHyun smirked lightly before leaning in as well, pressing his lips against Zhou Mi's and framing his face with his free hand. 

Zhou Mi was cut off before he could ask if he would have a different answer next time, happily closing his eyes and returning the kiss. It was soft, though hesitant, but definitely very nice. He tilted his head to the side, deepening the kiss slightly.

Closing his eyes as well, KyuHyun relaxed into the deepened kiss. His hand against Zhou Mi's cheek slid back into the human's soft hair, twining into the strands and being careful not to pull. The snake was a little awkward, inexperienced, but like with everything else eager to try. 

Letting the kiss continue at a slow pace, Zhou Mi finally pulled away to look into KyuHyun's eyes. "I think we might have more to talk about," he said softly, bringing up a hand to lightly trace over the scales at KyuHyun's temple.

KyuHyun's breath caught at the brush against his scales; snake scales were very sensitive. "...Do that again and we might not be talking for a while," he murmured, voice lowering. 

Zhou Mi blinked at that, a little startled. "Oh?" he mused, lips curling into a smile. "But they're so pretty, I can't help but touch," he said, and couldn't help himself as he did it again.

Shuddering, KyuHyun's eyes flashed darkly before he all but pounced on Zhou Mi, kissing him hard and knocking him back onto the couch. 

Squeaking, Zhou Mi flailed a little, not wanting to roll right off onto the floor. When he was sure they were secure, he wrapped his arms around KyuHyun's neck and returned the firm kiss. Talking could wait for the moment, he was enjoying KyuHyun's kisses far too much.

Stretched out against Zhou Mi, KyuHyun kept up the heated kiss until he realized they both needed to breath, breaking away to pant quietly against the human's lips. His lungs protested being denied oxygen for so long, but he didn't really care then.

"I should have mentioned earlier," he murmured once he had a chance to catch his breath. "Touching a snake's scales is almost the equivalent of sticking your hand down their pants, so be careful." 

"I'll have to keep that mind," Zhou Mi replied, looking up at KyuHyun with a warm smile. "Before we go back to kissing again, maybe we should talk about this?"

Thinking about that, KyuHyun nodded slowly. "I guess so." He slowly sat up again so he wasn't crushing Zhou Mi against the couch, brushing his hair out of his eyes as he watched the human. 

Sitting up, Zhou Mi tucked his legs under him and looked at KyuHyun with concerned eyes. "You said that you like me... when did this come about?"

KyuHyun shifted uncomfortably at the personal question, not noticing the concerned look he was getting as he tried to figure out how he was going to answer that. "I don't remember? It was a while ago." 

"Was it before or after our... misunderstanding?" Zhou Mi asked. "I'm sorry if this uncomfortable, but I want to understand why you like me... because if this is out of obligation or something else, I want to know."

"...What?" KyuHyun's brow furrowed. "No, it's...It's not because I feel obliged. I like you because you're the first person I know who honestly cares about me." 

Reaching over, Zhou Mi took KyuHyun's hand in his own. "I do care about you, and that's not going to change. What do you want out of this? Do you want to be with me?"

The snake looked down at their hands. "...You know a Sign and a human can't be together. It just isn't possible." 

"According to society and the law, no," Zhou Mi sighed. "But they don't get to control our lives completely. In this apartment, we can be whatever we want to be."

"What if someone finds out?" KyuHyun said, looking troubled. 

"Then I'll deal with it if it happens," Zhou Mi said, scooting closer to look into KyuHyun's eyes. "As long as we say nothing to anyone besides Geng and HeeChul, then no one ever needs to find out. And when Signs are given their freedom, you and I can stand together and let the whole world know."

KyuHyun looked back up at Zhou Mi, meeting his eyes. "...You're serious about this," he said. "You know you could lose everything if it got out you liked a slave as more than a bedwarmer." 

"I'm not worried," Zhou Mi said, smiling at him. "And even if it does get out, at least I tried."

The snake took in the other man's wide smile. "...You're a crazy human," he said finally, loss for words. 

"I'll take that as a compliment," Zhou Mi chuckled, leaning in and kissing him again softly.

Glad the awkward conversation had come to an end, KyuHyun wrapped his arms loosely around the human and returned the soft kiss. Honestly, he had no idea what to make of this, but if Zhou Mi was fine with it, then he was too. He'd come to realize some things over the half-year they'd lived together, including the fact that he really was happy for the first time in his life. 

 

***********************8

HyungJoon paced outside the hospital room, glancing every so often at his watch. "He's late," he said with a frown, looking to KyuJong nearby. "I told you he would be. Can't trust him for anything."

The rabbit shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, glancing down the empty hallway. "I'm sure he was just held up sir, he'll be here soon," he said, hoping he was telling the truth. 

"But this is just like him," HyungJoon said, stopping to look out one of the windows opposite the door. "Anything reasonably important happens and he puts it off. I don't know what I'm going to do about him Kyu."

"This isn't just reasonably important sir, it's very important," KyuJong said, voice quiet. "I don't think he would be late voluntarily." He watched the rain trail down the windowpane, the weather outside gloomy.

Hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway, the rabbit hearing them first and turning in the direction they were coming from. A young man ran down the hallway, wet shoes skidding against the floor as he reached them. "How is he?" he panted as he stopped, hair damp from the rain. 

"I don't think they would have called us if he was doing better," HyungJoon said, looking his brother up and down. "Kyu, get him a towel. I don't think dripping water on Dad will do him any good."

"Yes sir," KyuJong disappeared down the hallway, not really wanting to be there to watch the brothers argue (again).

KiBum scowled at HyungJoon before looking at the closed door, arms folded tightly in front of him against the chill. "Have you been in?" 

"No, the doctor's in there right now," HyungJoon said. "I think the infection got worse. He wasn't sounding good yesterday when I came to see him. Where were you?"

"At the other end of town, the taxi got stuck in traffic for the last few blocks so I walked it," KiBum replied. 

"At least you made it in time," HyungJoon sighed, looking towards the door again. As if on the cue, the doctor emerged. "How is he?" he asked.

"He's asking for you," the doctor said, making a couple notes on his chart. "I don't think he has much longer. The infection invaded his lungs."

KiBum's eyes went wide. "There's nothing you can do?" he demanded. "You're doctors, can't you help him?!"

Reappearing behind them, KyuJong's eyes were just as wide at the news, clutching a towel in his hands. 

"KiBum, quiet," HyungJoon frowned. "There really isn't anything that can be done?"

"I'm afraid not," the doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry, it was too aggressive. We've made him comfortable, but there's nothing else to be done for him."

KiBum stared at the doctor, hoping it was a joke. He swallowed thickly before moving around the doctor to enter the room, ignoring the towel KyuJong was trying to offer him.

There were just so many machines connected to the man lying on the bed. "...Dad?" KiBum asked quietly, glancing back at HyungJoon before approaching the bed slowly. 

"Wait out here," HyungJoon said quietly to KyuJong, stepping into the room after his brother and closing the door.

There had never been a point in HyungJoon's life where he could imagine his father would look frail, but the last six months of illness had destroyed the man who had been so strong. His breathing was haggard, cheeks thin and pale.

"KiBum," the man whispered, holding up his hand. "Come here, I have... something to say to you."

KiBum reached out and took his father's hand, clasping it in both of his own as he stood beside him. He looked down at the dying man, unable to come to terms with the idea that his father only had a little longer left to live. "Dad, you're going to be okay," he whispered. "Right?" 

"I'm... not going to start lying to you now," the man replied, his lips curling slightly. "KiBum... do what makes you happy. Above all else, make sure you're happy. Promise me."

"I...I promise. But dad, you can't go." The tears were already starting to fall. "You can't leave me...you can't leave _us_ alone, you have to stay." 

"I'm sorry," their father said, squeezing KiBum's hand a little. "HyungJoon. Promise me something..." he turned his head a little to look at HyungJoon who was on the other side of the bed. "Promise me you'll look after your brother. He's... family. Family is important."

"Of course," HyungJoon nodded, his jaw working slightly to keep the tears back. "I've always looked after him."

"Promise," the man insisted, lifting his other hand which HyungJoon took. "Promise me... both of you."

"I promise Dad," HyungJoon nodded, glancing up at KiBum.

"I promise," KiBum whispered, voice choked as he held onto his father's hand tightly. He ducked his head, resting his forehead against the older man's knuckles. "I love you Dad." He was crying freely now. "Say hi to Mom for us, okay?" 

"I love you too... both of you," the older man said, his eyes closing. "Where... where's that rabbit of yours HyungJoon?"

"He's right outside, I'll get him," HyungJoon said, placing his father's hand back down and going to the door. "Kyu, he wants to see you."

KyuJong had been trying to listen at the door, freezing when he was caught. He nodded and stepped into the room, making his way to the bedside. "Master?" he asked softly. "Are you comfortable, sir?" 

The man's breathing was coming even more ragged now, a rattling in his chest at every inhale. "KyuJong... take care of them," he whispered, opening his eyes to look up at the rabbit.

Eyes wide, KyuJong nodded. "I will Master Kim," he said, swallowing. "You don't have to worry about a thing." 

"Knew... I could... count on you," his lips twitched slightly and he closed his eyes again. "I... love you... all..." He took in one last harsh breath and exhaled, his body going limp.

HyungJoon had to turn away, biting down on his lip to keep from crying. "Kyu, get the doctor please," he said softly.

"Yes sir," KyuJong whispered, wiping at his eyes as he turned and left the room, head down. KiBum gave up all pretense of staying composed, sobbing quietly where he knelt beside the bed and held his father's limp hand. He didn't move even as the doctor came back in, KyuJong trailing behind him. 

The doctor turned off the monitors that were beeping, checking the man's pulse before pulling the sheet up over his head. "I am sorry we couldn't do more for him. Would you like a few moments before we take him?"

"No," HyungJoon shook his head, looking up. "We'll be going now. Have his remains sent to our house. Let's go KiBum, we have things to do."

"What?" KiBum looked up at his brother, red-rimmed eyes wide. "You want to just _leave_ him? Just like that?" 

"Doctor could you excuse us?" HyungJoon said. The doctor nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. "I'm not leaving him anywhere KiBum. The hospital will prepare his remains so we can bury him. There's nothing left for us to do here."

KiBum's jaw clenched as he looked down at the hand still in his grip. "What about saying goodbye?" he asked, words choked. 

"We already did," HyungJoon said, looking away. "Let's go Kyu. We have to prepare for the funeral."

KyuJong looked between the brothers with wide eyes, but followed HyungJoon out of the room. "Shouldn't we wait for your brother, sir?" he asked softly once they were out. KiBum hadn't followed them. 

"If he needs to say goodbye then he can, we have things to do," HyungJoon said. "I don't want to be here anymore."

The rabbit looked back at the room they'd just left. He could hear KiBum crying again. "...Yes sir," he said quietly, turning to follow HyungJoon. 

The next few days were solemn in the Kim household, HyungJoon closing himself off in his room for the better part of the first day and only letting KyuJong in. The arrangements were made for the funeral, and four days after Master Kim's passing they held a service in the family cemetery on the grounds.

It was fitting that it was raining, KyuJong standing behind the two brothers with an umbrella aloft to keep the rain off of them as they watched their father's casket being lowered into the ground. HyungJoon had tried to be strong for his brother, putting an arm around his shoulder. "At least he's with Mom now," he said quietly.

KiBum nodded mutely, lips pressed into thin lines to keep the tears at bay. His efforts weren't always successful as a few tears escaped, and he wiped at them hastily. "Do you think they're happy?" he whispered. 

"Of course," HyungJoon nodded. "They've got each other, and they don't have to listen to us bickering anymore. Who wouldn't be happy."

The younger brother just shook his head, arms wrapped tightly around himself as he watched the casket slowly being covered in dirt. They weren't the only ones there, KyuJong needing to look away and scanning the small cemetery instead.

The house's servants and slaves were all present, including the fighters who stood at attention to one side. Their dog and two boar fighters looked equally sorrowful; Master Kim had his reputation for being a fair master and trainer, one of the precious few left in the arena.

Even the son of their rival house was present, standing a respectable distance away with his rat who kept them both dry with an umbrella. YunHo didn't say anything, head bowed as the last of the earth covered the casket.

"What are we going to do without him?" KiBum whispered. 

HyungJoon took a deep breath at that, shaking his head slightly. "I don't know KiBum. We'll do our best. That's all we can do."

KiBum nodded stiffly at that, closing his eyes. They stood there in silence for a long moment, no one really wanting to believe that the master of the Kim house was really gone.

"You should head inside soon, sir," KyuJong said finally behind them. "You might catch sick." 

Nodding, HyungJoon nudged KiBum lightly to lead him toward the house. "Let's have some dinner. Dad wouldn't want us going hungry." As they walked towards the house, HyungJoon stopped when they were close to YunHo and his rat. "You're welcome to join us YunHo. Dad would have you wanted it that way."

"Thank you," YunHo bowed his head slightly. "I'm truly sorry...your father was a great man." He fell in step behind the brothers as they made their way to the house. The servants and slaves dispersed back to their duties. 

"Yeah... I'm surprised your father isn't here dancing on his grave right now," HyungJoon said sourly as they stepped into the house. "...I'm sorry, this isn't the time for that."

"My father is thankfully out of town for at least a week," YunHo replied, shaking his head. "If there is anything I can do HyungJoon, just let me know. You're taking on a lot." 

"Thank you, but I'll have to get through this on my own," HyungJoon said, handing his coat off to KyuJong. "Besides, I have KyuJong who has yet to let me down over anything."

KyuJong bowed at that, taking KiBum's and YunHo's jackets as well before going to hang them up to dry.

"What about me?" KiBum frowned at HyungJoon. 

"What about you? You're going to school next week," HyungJoon said, leading them towards the dining room.

"Yes...but...I can help with stuff too," KiBum replied. "You won't be able to do it all by yourself." 

"You're going to school KiBum, you focus on that," HyungJoon shook his head. "We'll be fine here. I can do this. I really can. I learned from the best."

KiBum didn't look very convinced, but they thankfully reached the dining room then. The table was already set for company, KyuJong pulling out HyungJoon's chair for him.

"At the very least, tournament season is still half a year away," YunHo said, sitting down after the brothers. 

"It is, and I think our chances are good of at least one fighter getting through the second tier," HyungJoon said. "I'm not going to ask how your house is fairing YunHo, I already know the answer." he sighed and looked down at his plate. "Dad had some big plans about how this year was going to go... wanted a couple more fighters. Couldn't afford it though."

"Depending on how this year's fights go, you could purchase the new fighters next year," YunHo replied, KiBum seeing he was trying to remain optimistic in light of the recent events. "Your dog fighter always makes it far." 

"He does, he's a solid fighter," HyungJoon said. He was quiet for a moment, closing his eyes briefly before he looked up. "So when's your father going to give up his stranglehold on the house, let someone else run it?"

YunHo's lips quirked slightly, looking down. "Not for a few more years I think. I've been managing the fighters while he's gone on business trips, but that's the extent of what he lets me do for now."

KiBum was distracted from the conversation when he noticed YunHo's rat was still standing, hovering out of view of his master. "Uh...RyeoWook, you know you can sit down right?" 

The rat blinked at KiBum. "I'm sure I can, Master KiBum, but doesn't mean I will," he said with a small smile. "I'm fine here. Your rabbit isn't sitting either."

"That's because if Kyu ever sat down for more than two minutes he'd vibrate off the chair in anxiousness," HyungJoon said. "Both of you sit and eat. This is about family, and Dad considered all of you family." He looked to YunHo. "He considered someone else family too, but I see he's not here."

KyuJong sat down sheepishly on HyungJoon's other side. YunHo's eyes lowered at the reminder. "Yes, I spoke with him earlier...he wasn't feeling up to leaving the manor, but he sends his condolences."

"Is he okay?" KiBum asked, worried. The frown on YunHo's face wasn't reassuring, the other human shaking his head slightly. 

"Maybe it's for the best, Kyu usually just ends up a bunny when YoungSaeng's around," HyungJoon said, glancing at KyuJong with a small smile. RyeoWook finally sat down next to YunHo as servants were bringing out their plates of food. The rat happily dug in to his food.

"I'm working on that," KyuJong mumbled sheepishly, poking at his salad. KiBum was still frowning at YunHo, but knew the man wouldn't say anything more on YoungSaeng's condition. Not that he really needed to. YoungSaeng was rather infamous at this point, and not for a good reason.

"So you're leaving soon for the city, KiBum?" YunHo asked after they had started eating. "What are you studying again?"

"Political Science, I'm going to be a lawyer," KiBum replied, glancing at HyungJoon. "I suck at helping in a fighting house, but at least I'll be able to make a lot of money that way." 

"Yeah, make a lot of money so I can retire," HyungJoon said with a smile. "By the time you'll be making money, I'll have one foot in the grave from the stress of running this place by myself."

KiBum's eyes widened. "Don't say that!" He snapped loudly, scaring KyuJong so much his rabbit ears popped out. "How can you think that's _funny?_ " 

"...Never said it was," HyungJoon said, setting down his fork. "Doesn't mean it won't be the truth."

Staring at his brother, KiBum's jaw clenched before he stood up, pushing away from the table. "I'm not hungry." He left the dining hall.

"...Oh dear," KyuJong murmured, ears down. 

HyungJoon didn't watch KiBum go, idly touching the fork and knife besides his plate. "Apologies YunHo. You have enough family to deal with, you don't need to see us squabble."

"Don't worry about it," YunHo smiled, eyes worried. "...Are you sure you'll be all right, HyungJoon?" 

"Of course, I'll be fine," HyungJoon nodded. "We have good fighters who will do well, I've basically ran this house the last couple of years with Dad overseeing. You worry about your own house, and when you finally get the reigns we can see who does better."

"That's something I'll look forward to," YunHo chuckled quietly, looking down at his plate. "Just be careful in the meantime...Father got his hands on another dragon very recently." 

That gave HyungJoon pause, and he looked up at YunHo. "I'll make sure to let my fighters know," he said, fingers curling into a fist. "You be careful as well. One day they're going to snap before they even get to the ring."

"I wouldn't be surprised," YunHo shook his head. "For their sake, I hope I can take over soon." He finished his dinner, placing his fork down. "Thank you for inviting me in, it was very good." 

"Thank you for coming, I know Dad would have appreciated it," HyungJoon said. "Would you care to stay for a drink or do you have to get back?"

"I would like to stay, but I need to check on YoungSaeng," YunHo replied. "I know you're going to be very busy from now on, but if you ever want to meet for a drink or meal, just let me know. We _are_ neighbors." 

"But rivals," HyungJoon corrected. "I'm sure a drink every now and then wouldn't hurt. Just don't let your father know."

"Do I ever let him know when I come here?" YunHo smiled tiredly, looking at RyeoWook beside him. "Are you ready to go, Wook?" 

RyeoWook was stuffing the last of the food in his mouth, nodding. "Mhm," he mumbled around chewing, getting to his feet to pull out YunHo's chair when he stood.

"Have a good night YunHo, and tell YoungSaeng... that we missed his presence here," HyungJoon said, getting up as well.

"I'll let him know," YunHo nodded, standing. "Have a good night."

KyuJong hopped to his feet as YunHo and his rat left the dining room. "Maybe you should take an early night sir, you didn't sleep well last night." 

"... I think you're right Kyu," HyungJoon sighed, rubbing at his eyes. "Could I bother you for a massage before I pass out? I've got a horrible pain in my neck."

"Of course," KyuJong smiled reassuringly, falling into step behind HyungJoon. "Anything to help you sleep better." 

"I don't know what I'd do without you Kyu," HyungJoon said, stretching out his arms as he started up the stairs. "I'll probably be relying on you a lot for the next while... I hope that doesn't burden you too much."

"Not at all, I'll do whatever I can to help," KyuJong smiled. "I can even help train the fighters whenever you need a break." 

"That would help a lot," HyungJoon nodded. "Guess it was a good thing we let you sit in on trainings then."

"Anything I can do to make your life easier," KyuJong said, lowering his voice a little as they passed by KiBum's room. The younger brother's door was closed. 

HyungJoon snorted at that. "Kyu if it were up to you, I would never lift a finger to do anything ever."

"I would like that a lot sir," KyuJong smiled softly, ducking his head a little as he followed HyungJoon into the older brother's bedroom.

************************9

It was the night before KiBum was due to leave for university, and as usual the two brothers weren't talking. There had been an explosive argument over lunch and neither of them were over it yet, KiBum spending the rest of the afternoon and evening slowly packing.

He was ready to go...but he still hadn't said goodbye to one person yet.

Waiting until it was dark enough to hide in, KiBum slowly made his way across the large practice field to the manor on the other side. The Jung manor. As far as he was aware Master Jung was still out, otherwise he wouldn't be brave enough to try this. Not after he was nearly caught a while back.

Finally reaching the manor, he found the window he was looking for way up on the second floor. He found three small pebbles lying around, testing to make sure they were light enough before throwing one.

It hit the window with a thwack, bouncing off and disappearing into the dark. KiBum followed it with the two other pebbles before stopping and waiting. 

The lights in the room came on, a shadow moving to the window and peeking out through the curtains before disappearing again. It wasn't more than a few minutes before the nearest side door opened, a figure beckoning KiBum in.

KiBum walked to the side door, slipping inside and trying to make as little noise as possible. "Hi," he whispered, smiling. "Hope you weren't sleeping." 

"Trying to, but not getting very far," the other said softly. "Come on, the guards are gambling in the cellar, we can talk in my room." Leading KiBum down the hall to a service stair well, the figure limped slightly as they made their way into the bedroom, the door closing and locking behind them. "I was wondering when you would be coming over, YunHo said you were leaving soon."

"Tomorrow, I wasn't going to leave without saying goodbye though." KiBum looked the older man up and down with worried eyes, unable to see that well in the dark. "Are you okay, YoungSaeng hyung?" He'd seen the limp. 

"I've been worse," YoungSaeng said with a sad sigh, turning on one of the side lamps and sitting down gingerly on the bed. "I'm sorry I couldn't be at the funeral," he said, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. The bruise on his cheek and jaw were mostly healed, but still a touch yellow and green. "How are you holding up?"

KiBum sat down carefully beside him, respecting the snake's personal space. "...Not that well," he admitted, looking down. "I need a change of air, something productive to do. Maybe some time in the city will help." 

"I hope so," YoungSaeng nodded. "You've seemed so unhappy the last couple of years. I can't imagine your father's death has helped. Are you still not getting along with HyungJoon?"

"I wasn't holding much hope of that changing," KiBum's lips twisted as he looked away. "He still treats me like a kid, maybe hates me. I don't know. He won't let me help out here and won't involve me in any of the house's decisions, but keeps making snide remarks about being left to take care of it by himself. I don't care anymore, I'm going to go to school like dad wanted me to." 

YoungSaeng frowned slightly at that, watching KiBum. "But do you even really _want_ to help? If HyungJoon wasn't taking over the house, would you?"

The younger brother's lips thinned slightly. "...I don't know. It...the whole fighting thing, it just seems _wrong_ to me. I don't get how people can sit there and cheer as others die. SungMin, YoungWoon, JungSu...they're like family to me, I don't think I could ever send them to their deaths in those rings." 

"I don't know either, but no one really asks a bedwarmer their opinion," YoungSaeng said. "But I doubt your brother hates you, maybe he resents you a little for being able to go off to school when he couldn't, but wouldn't hate you."

KiBum chewed on his lower lip. "I wish we didn't have to do this. I wish this whole stupid business didn't exist, that _slavery_ didn't exist." He looked up at YoungSaeng. "I don't think of you as a bedwarmer, you're my hyung. You're the only one I feel comfortable talking to." 

"I'm glad you feel comfortable talking to me, it's nice to have a friend," YoungSaeng said, corner of his lips curling slightly. "Things are the way they are though, and we have to fulfill our roles as best we can. You go to school and do your Dad proud. That's all anyone can ask of you now." He leaned forward to touch KiBum's hand lightly. "He's still your brother, try to remember that."

Blinking rapidly, KiBum ducked his head and nodded. "I will. Maybe we both just need some time apart. At least I know Kyu will look after him. I'll miss you hyung, though I guess you won't miss being woken up in the middle of the night huh." 

"I'll miss you at least," YoungSaeng chuckled softly. "Time away from here will do you both some good. I hope you'll come back to visit once in a while."

"I'll try," Kibum smirked. Scooting closer, he leaned in to give the snake a careful hug, being very gentle in case there were more bruises hidden under his clothing. Which KiBum was sure there was, and it set his blood boiling just to think about it. "You be careful, okay?" 

"I'll try," YoungSaeng echoed, returning the hug. "Good luck in school," he said, pulling back to smile a little at the younger human. "You need it."

"Probably," KiBum returned the smile. "When I come back I won't be a little kid anymore, I'll be a big fancy lawyer. Look forward to it!" He stood up. 

"I will, and you can tell me all about your big city life," YoungSaeng said, leaning back against the headboard. "Do you need me to show you out? I doubt the guards are done with their dice games."

"I can find my way out, been here too many times to get lost," KiBum grinned. "Have a good night hyung, I'll see you around." He unlocked the door and carefully slipped out, closing it and navigating his way through the dark hallways back to the exit. Stopping by to see YoungSaeng made him feel better, and it helped that he could see the snake was still in one piece. He kept thinking about their conversation though, both what YoungSaeng had said about HyungJoon and his own realization that he really didn't want anything to do with the tournament. 

The next morning, HyungJoon was waiting to see KiBum off, though by the look on his face, KyuJong had dragged him down. "Just call if you need anything," he said, watching the servants load up KiBum's bags into the taxi. "You have access to your account so you won't have to worry about money."

KiBum nodded, hands jammed into his pockets. "Yeah...you don't forget to call either, huh? Come see me if you're ever in the city." 

"If I get time," HyungJoon said, looking over at KyuJong. "I want to go to the city tomorrow, take a look at what they have at the auctions. Clear my schedule."

"Yes sir," KyuJong nodded, standing close to HyungJoon as always.

KiBum bit the inside of his cheek, reminding himself this could be the last time he saw his brother in a while so picking a fight wasn't the best idea. "I guess...I'll get going. Good luck here, hyung. Take care of him Kyu, okay?"

"You know I will," KyuJong smiled warmly at the younger brother. "Study hard." 

"Yeah, do good," HyungJoon said. "Be careful... don't get mixed up with the wrong crowd or anything. Make nice friends, okay?"

"Geez hyung, who do you take me for?" KiBum smirked slightly, the smile more natural. After a pause he stepped closer and pulled his brother into a hug. "See you around." 

"Bye KiBum," HyungJoon said, returning the hug. "Don't come back smarter than me."

"I can't guarantee that," KiBum chuckled. Pulling back, he walked to the taxi door.

"Bye KiBum!" He heard a holler from the direction of the field, turning to see the fighters were waving.

"Bye guys!" He yelled back. _Stay alive,_ he wanted to say, but couldn't voice it. Ducking his head, he climbed into the back seat of the taxi. 

HyungJoon watched the taxi pull away, sighing heavily as he looked at KyuJong beside him. "Part of me feels like I just lost my brother."

KyuJong looked at HyungJoon, shaking his head. "He's not going that far, we can go see him whenever you want." 

"Of course," HyungJoon said, turning to go back into the house. "Whether he really wants to see me is another matter though."

*************************************

By the time KiBum arrived at the university dorms, it was late in the afternoon. He spent the rest of that day unpacking and getting what supplies he hadn't picked up yet, keeping himself busy to avoid thinking too much. His roommate didn't seem to be there yet, which he was going to take as a blessing for now. There would be plenty of time for awkward introductions later.

Lying in bed that night, he wondered if he should call HyungJoon and tell him he had gotten to the dorms safely. But in the end he just closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep. 

He had class early in the morning, getting ready with a sense of impending doom. Sign Relations. He wasn't so sure if he'd be able to sit through this, already knowing his views on Signs were...different from most. Sitting down on his bed, he took out the map of the school, trying to figure out where the class was so he wouldn't be late on his first day. 

The dorm room door opened with a bang, the person on the other side stumbling in and dropping two boxes, a violin case, and a duffel bag before toppling over and landing face first with a yelp. "Ow," the newcomer winced, lifting his head up enough to look around. "Right room... I'm in?" he asked, his Korean mangled.

Jumping at the loud noises, KiBum looked up from the map with wide eyes. "...What?" he asked after a moment, not getting what was being said with the other guy's heavy accent and the loud commotion. He stood up, going to help the stranger who he was going to assume was his roommate. "Need help?" He pulled the duffel bag off from where it was half on top of the other man. "This is room 250, I guess you're my roommate." 

"Roommate?" The other blinked up at him, getting up to his feet. "Room... mate...," he repeated again before it clicked and he grinned, barely there eyes disappearing under the weight of his cheeks. "Yes! Roommate! Henry," he held out his hand.

Bemused, KiBum shook the other man's hand. Henry...well that was definitely not a Korean name. "Henry? It's nice to meet you." Though his name came out as 'Henli' more than anything. "My name is KiBum. You are student from America?" He asked in halting, awkward english; it had been a long time since that trip abroad. 

Henry seemed to do a double take at that, his mouth opening. "You speak English? Oh thank god, my Korean is crap," he said with a sigh of relief. "Yes, America... well Canada specifically. How good is your english?"

And with that KiBum was regretting his decision to try out English, because this guy was speaking a little too fast for him. Chewing on the inside of his cheek as he looked around, he did his best to decipher what was being said. "English... My English is not good," he laughed nervously. "Not talk English for long time. But will...um...practice. Help with this?" He motioned to the boxes and things still scattered on the floor. 

"No, no it's okay," Henry said quickly, pushing the boxes to one side. "I guess I'm over here? And hey, I'll help you with your English if you help me with my Korean okay?"

"Help with Korean? Okay, yes," KiBum chuckled, stepping back away from the door. "Maybe talk a little more slow?" 

"I'll try," Henry said, plopping himself down on the free bed. "So, what are you majoring in?" he asked in English before trying it in Korean. "Uh... what... study?"

"Oh...Political Science," KiBum said in Korean, before saying in English. "Do not know how to say...in English. Be...uh..." He had to think about it before his expression brightened. "Lawyer. You?" 

Henry pointed at the instrument case that had ended up upside down and squashing one of the boxes. "Music, play... violin," he said, trying it in Korean. "This is really kind of awkward," he sighed, laughing a little.

"Is okay," KiBum grinned. "Will practice, get good. You go to class in English?" It definitely was awkward, but he didn't mind it. Henry seemed like a nice guy. 

"Some of them, yeah," Henry nodded. "Except my music class, but I don't really need to know what they're saying to play."

KiBum made a noncommittal noise, because he didn't really get that last sentence. Hopefully it wasn't a question. Blinking as he realized something, he glanced at the clock. "Oh...I go to class," he hopped to his feet, hurriedly trying to jam a textbook into his backpack. "Class start soon." 

"Wow, already?" Henry was pulling a box over to dump the contents out on the floor. "Have fun!"

Slinging his backpack over his shoulder, KiBum glanced over at the pile of things on the floor. "Good luck," he grinned, pointing at the mess before leaving the room.

Talking with Henry had eased a bit of his nerves for class, but that came back soon enough as he approached the classroom. From the looks of it, it wasn't a big enough lecture room for him to get lost amongst the other students. Hopefully he would be able to hide in a corner or something.

That idea backfired when he walked in and saw most of the seats were taken already, except for those near the front. Sighing in defeat, he walked down the steps to the front of the class and slid into a bench, pulling out a notebook and pencil. 

The minutes ticked by with no sign of the instructor, some of the students looking at their watches and talking quietly amongst themselves about ditching their first day already. That all stopped when the door at the front of the room swung open, a frantic and harried looking lanky man came in. "Sorry, sorry I'm late," he said, briefcase slung over his shoulder and stacks of papers in his arms. KuiXian?" he blinked and looked over his shoulder. "Hurry up, I need you."

"This isn't that light you know." A few shocked murmurs went up as the backtalker came into view. The collar around the other man's neck was just as clear as the scales framing his face. With a grunt the snake put the projector down on a table, angling it towards the large whiteboard at the front of the class. Blinking, KiBum sat up straighter and stopped doodling on the edge of his paper, placing the pencil down. 

"Yes, yes, complain on your own time," the instructor said. "Pass these out," he shoved the stacks of paper into the snakes hand before finally giving his attention to the class. "Hello, my name is Zhou Mi, and this is an introductory course to Sign and Human relations. If you're in the wrong class, I suggest you move along before I waste any time speaking to you."

KiBum glanced around the class, seeing a few people near the back leaving. The professor's slave hummed to himself as he went up and down the rows, passing out the papers. Having a slave help out with the class wasn't an unusual thing really, but the snake didn't appear stressed in the least. He looked at least a year or two older than KiBum, the professor himself very young in his mid-twenties.

Taking the paper when it reached him, KiBum skimmed over the course introduction. 

"Right then, now we can get to the fun part," Zhou Mi said, hopping up to sit on his desk. "Like I said, this is Sign and Human relations. The administrators believe this is a throw away class that is to be used to instruct people in the basics of Sign psychology. Or in other words, the best way to tear them down and break them into subservient mindless slaves. Unfortunately for them, that is not what this class is about at all. Let me introduce to you KyuHyun, my... snake." His head tilted slightly and he smiled. "KyuHyun is an Indigo snake, not venomous, but don't piss him off."

KiBum blinked repeatedly; this class wasn't starting how he thought it would at all. The snake was smirking lightly, returning to the professor's side. Whispers went up from the class, the other students apparently not expecting this any more than KiBum had.

"Yah, it's not time to talk yet," KyuHyun said, looking up at the human students. "Be quiet so your professor can continue." 

"See?" Zhou Mi chuckled. "Now, if you want to look over your course summary papers in front of you, you'll see I have outlined what we'll be going over in this class. For the first half of the semester, we will look at where Signs come from, their history and the differences between the twelve types. The second half of the semester we'll be discussing Signs and their roles in society, how they live. We'll talk about their relationships with each other, as well as with humans."

Hopping off the desk, he slowly paced back and forth in front of the first row as he spoke. "This class is meant to broaden your mind towards Signs. To see them more than just slaves, or animals. At least, that is what I hope you will take away when the semester is over. If you feel that this class isn't what you had in mind, feel free to leave, and not come back. I only want those here who are willing to learn."

KiBum leaned back, watching Zhou Mi pace along the first row. Behind him he heard chairs scraping against the floor, and didn't look back to see how many people would leave. He just watched the professor and his snake, the Sign hopping up onto the desk Zhou Mi had just vacated and watching the class with an impassive expression.

Someone at the back of the class had their hand up. "Professor, why is this even important?" the student asked. "How is any of this going to be useful?" 

Zhou Mi stopped and looked around slowly, a sad smile on his lips. "It's only as important as you make it. If you want to understand Signs better, then stay, and find out how useful it can be. I can't make that decision for you, or tell you if it will impact you in any way. But I hope it will."

KiBum couldn't help it; he put up his hand.

"Professor? Do you think slavery should be abolished?" 

The professor's turned slightly to look at KiBum, his expression thoughtful. "An interesting question, but not one I'm willing to answer just yet. This class is to make you think for yourself. If I tell you what I think, that could very well influence you. That's not what I want." Turning away, he went to the board at the front of the room. "I want you all to keep that question in mind during the course of the class," he said, writing the question at the top of the board. "At the end of the semester, we'll all answer it together."

KiBum looked up at the question on the board, ignoring the hushed whispers behind him. He wrote the question down at the top of his notebook, highlighting it. He was curious what the answer would be at the end of the semester.

"I think you scared them enough," KyuHyun grinned, hopping off the desk. 

"Hey, don't ruin my fun," Zhou Mi sniffed. "I only get to play the strict no nonsense teacher the first day until they get to know me." His attention turned back to the class with a grin. "So, let's get started shall we?"

A small smile curled KiBum's lips. Maybe he could get used to this class after all.

The first lecture of the semester was definitely not what anyone in the class expected, KiBum taking notes carefully of each point that was brought up. KyuHyun seemed to teach the class almost as much as Zhou Mi did, hushing the students when they got too loud and chiming in constantly as Zhou Mi taught. He spoke to Zhou Mi like an equal, like he was teasing a good friend instead of a master. There was also no use of the words 'master' or 'sir', KiBum watching their interaction with interest.

Finally class was over, chairs scrapping as the other students started to leave. KiBum packed up as slowly as he possibly could, watching as KyuHyun unplugged the projector and chatted with Zhou Mi in something that had to be Mandarin. 

Zhou Mi seemed to be aware that they were being watched, glancing over to KiBum. Patting the snakes shoulder, he approached KiBum. "I know you... you're from the Kim house aren't you?" he asked, stopping in front of KiBum's desk.

Sitting up straight, KiBum nodded at that, surprised. He'd certainly presented himself as from the Kim house far less than the rest of his family. "Uh...yes sir. How did you know that?" 

"Because one who grew up in the fighting business knows the rivals," Zhou Mi said, lips quirked. "That and you look exactly like your brother, who looks like his father. I was sorry to hear about his passing, he was a good man."

About to ask what house the older man was from (he had a hard time keeping up with all the other houses), KiBum quietened and looked down. "Yeah...he was." He glanced up at Zhou Mi after a moment. "You decided not to go into the business?" 

"My father and I came to an agreement about it, and although I am not continuing his legacy, I'll make a name for myself in the fighting world," Zhou Mi said. "I hope you enjoyed the class, and will stay with it. This is only my third semester teaching, and so far I lose about half the class the first day, and then another half during the week."

KiBum stood up, seeing the rest of the class was already gone by then. KyuHyun was perched up on the edge of the desk again, watching them with slitted sapphire eyes.

"I'll admit that I had my doubts about this class...but I think I'll be here for the long run." KiBum smirked, holding out a hand. "It wasn't what I thought it was going to be. It's nice to meet you, and KyuHyun." 

"It was nice to meet you as well," Zhou Mi nodded, taking KiBum's hand. "I'll look forward to whatever insight you may bring to the class."

Shaking the professor's hand, KiBum let go and slung his bag over his shoulder. "See you next class, professor." He turned and hurried up the steps to the exit.

KyuHyun watched him go, swinging his legs back and forth. "Think he's gonna stick around the whole semester?" 

"I have a good feeling he will," Zhou Mi nodded, glancing over at KyuHyun. "He was one of the few actually taking notes."

"Always a good sign when they're paying attention," KyuHyun rolled his eyes, hopping off the desk. The snake was very different from when Zhou Mi had first bought him two years ago, walking around in his half form with an air of confidence. "Back to your office?" He lifted up the heavy projector. 

"Yes, and then I have an investor meeting at the colosseum," Zhou Mi said, packing his briefcase back up. "And then we're still on for dinner yes?"

"If you're not collapsing from exhaustion by then," KyuHyun said, wrinkling his nose. "Don't overdo it, okay?" 

"I'll be fine, you worry too much," Zhou Mi said, glancing at him with a sly smile. "You're the one who keeps me up too late."

"I don't know what you mean," the snake sniffed, heading to the door with the heavy projector. "You'd fret yourself to death without me to distract you." 

"You just enjoy the distraction part," Zhou Mi chuckled, following after him. "Not that I'm complaining!"

"You better not be complaining," KyuHyun said, switching to Mandarin as they entered the hallways. It was habit now to keep from being overheard by the wrong person. He dropped back to follow alongside Zhou Mi on the way back to the human's office. 

"Your distractions are the only things keeping me sane," Zhou Mi replied back in Mandarin. "Especially if I'm ending my day working at the games."

KyuHyun wrinkled his nose slightly at that, not replying as they walked. Finally arriving at Zhou Mi's office, he placed the projector down on a filing cabinet before going to close the door. "What about tomorrow? No games stuff tomorrow, right?" 

"I don't think so, I'll have to check the schedule," Zhou Mi said, shoulders slumping. "Remind me again this is worth it," he said quietly, still in Mandarin.

Locking the door, KyuHyun turned around and stopped in front of Zhou Mi. He took the briefcase off the human, placing it down on the desk before framing the older man's face with his hands and pulling him into a soft kiss.

"It's worth it," he murmured against Zhou Mi's lips. 

"It is," Zhou Mi replied, wrapping his arms around KyuHyun's neck. "It's worth it because I want to be able to do this out on the street, and tell you how I really feel without making sure I'm in the right language."

KyuHyun chuckled quietly. "I just want to have your arms around my neck without the collar in the way." He kissed Zhou Mi again, leaning the other man back against his desk. "You're doing great you know." 

"Am I? It's hard to tell," Zhou Mi sighed, pulling away from the kiss to rest his forehead on KyuHyun's shoulder.

"You are," KyuHyun insisted, eyes half-open to look at Zhou Mi mere millimeters away. "You're making people think. Even if some morons don't want to listen to you now, you're making them think." 

"A few kids isn't enough," Zhou Mi said, eyes closed. "I need to get it out to the people who make the decisions... the population. I have so much more work to do."

"But you're heading in the right direction, you _knew_ it wasn't going to happen overnight. And you're not in this alone." He bit the tip of Zhou Mi's large nose lightly. 

Zhou Mi squeaked at that, pulling back to rub at his nose. "That hurt," he pouted. "Thank you, for always keeping me on the right track. If it wasn't for you, I would have given up by now.... Actually, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have even tried."

"And if it weren't for you, I'd be dead right now, so stop moping," KyuHyun smirked, pulling Zhou Mi back by his shirt to kiss him deeper. 

Well, Zhou Mi couldn't argue with such a persuasive argument. Letting his worries go for the moment, he returned the kiss happily. This was worth it.

*****************************************10

KiBum hadn't expected Sign Relations to become his favorite class, but it had. He'd thought he knew a lot about Signs, growing up in a fighting house, but really he'd known nothing at all. The class had gone through Sign History and the different types by then, breezing through to the second half of the semester where they'd cover relations with other signs and humans. Half the class was gone by then, but that just gave KiBum more of an opportunity to ask questions during the lectures and speak with the professor and his snake afterwards.

As much as he enjoyed the class, midterms were still a pain. And he was glad when they were over, looking forward to relaxing for a few days. Of course in university, 'relax' was synonymous with 'party'.

"That's a lot of people," KiBum blinked as he and Henry stepped into the large hall, looking around at all the other students. The music was loud, the partying kids even louder. 

"Lots of people," Henry nodded, already bouncing slightly to the music. Over the past couple of months, his Korean had improved, and so had KiBum's English. "We dance? Or wait?"

"Why wait, let's dance," KiBum grinned, grabbing Henry's hand and pulling him into the thick of the crowd. If he didn't keep a hold on the Canadian he was going to lose Henry in here within seconds. 

Not protesting in the slightest, Henry lost himself in the music. Somewhere in the middle of the dance floor they stopped, Henry keeping close to KiBum. Not that they were really dancing together, Henry off in his own world as he flailed his arms and bounced around. "This fun right?" he called over the music.

"Yeah!" KiBum laughed. He wasn't the best dancer really, his movements too stiff, but that wasn't the point. The point was to have some fun, as Henry said. "Hey, you're good!"

And it was fun. Back home KiBum had never really had anyone around his own age, everyone he knew at least a few years older. Even if they were lost in translation more often than not, he and Henry had been instant friends. 

"Best dancer in Canada!" Henry replied, doing a weird complicated move that he lost control of. His shout was lost in the noise as he tumbled over, knocking into someone who was standing behind him. That person in turn fell into who they were standing next to. A few of the dancers backed away to let the people who had fallen over get back up.

"Sorry!" Henry said, scrambling to get back up. "You two okay?" he asked as the two got back up. It wasn't clear if they heard or not, one helping the other up.

"Dammit, you stupid goat!" the one being helped up spat, pushing away the slave. "You're so useless."

About to see if Henry was okay, KiBum's attention was caught by the scuffle right beside them. One was very obviously a slave, and the one Henry had knocked into by accident.

"Hey, it wasn't his fault," KiBum said, pulling Henry away from them. "And maybe he should just leave you on the floor next time!" 

"Mind your own business," the owner said, taking the goat by the arm and roughly pulling him away. Henry couldn't hear what was being said, but he saw the hits to the back of the goat's head.

"Didn't mean to," Henry said, shoulders slumping as he looked to KiBum,

"I know you didn't," KiBum's eyes narrowed as he watched them go, seeing the hits too. "That _asshole._ " He started to follow them. 

"KiBum, no," Henry grabbed KiBum's arm, pulling him back. "Don't fight okay? Won't help him."

KiBum scowled, brought up short as he looked back at Henry. People around them had started dancing again, the small scuffle already forgotten. "Neither will not saying anything." 

"He's slave right? You can't change that," Henry said, frowning a little. "Let's go, don't feel like dancing now."

Sighing in frustration, KiBum gave in and turned to follow Henry out. "Sorry...I ruined the night I guess." 

"No, I fell," Henry shook his head. "My fault. Didn't ruin anything, we can still have fun? Think the kids across the hall had booze if we want it."

"I didn't teach you that word, you figured that out on your own," KiBum smirked lightly, trying to relax. "Sure, let's get drunk." 

"This is college, I've learned _lots_ of words," Henry grinned. The walk back to their dorm wasn't quiet, Henry talking in his mishmash of Korean and English, trying to talk to KiBum about what Canada was like but failing miserably. "Just have to see it," he said finally, opening their room door. "Maybe over summer break, visit my family with me?"

"That would be awesome, I'm not so sure my English is up to it though," KiBum laughed. "Your family will laugh at me." He followed Henry into the room, closing the door after them and holding onto the bottle of soju he'd gotten. "I'd...like that though." 

"My family laugh at me too," Henry sighed. "My Mandarin not good, they laugh at me. At least my Korean better than theirs." Flopping down onto his bed, he stretched out his arms. "Unless you... go home? Your family?"

KiBum sat down on his own bed, biting his lower lip as he glanced at the photo he'd set up on his bureau. "...I don't know," he sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't really get along with my brother, if I went back home we'd probably spend the whole summer yelling at each other. Not really that great." 

"How come?" Henry sat up, swinging his legs around and leaning back against the wall. "Not like your brother?"

"Not like? Oh, I...he's my brother, of course I like him," KiBum sighed, opening his bottle and taking a sip. "We think too differently I guess. I don't think I ever told you, but my family owns the Kim fighting house. We're one of the biggest fighting houses in South Korea. My brother took over when our dad died a few months ago." 

"...Oh," Henry's expression dimmed slightly and he looked away. "So... you have slaves."

"Yeah," KiBum looked down. "We have slaves. But that's part of why my brother and I don't get along. He's the heir to the fighting house, and I just...I can't do it, I haven't even gone to watch the tournaments once. Those fighters are like friends to me, my brother's rabbit is like an older brother himself." 

Henry seemed puzzled at KiBum's words. "You're against the fighting? I'm against it too... It's outlawed in Canada... Signs are free, no slaves."

That caught KiBum by surprise, and he looked up at Henry. "It is? I didn't think there was _anywhere_ in the world like that. All Signs are free? They have jobs and own property and stuff just like humans?" 

"Yeah, Canada, and America," Henry nodded. He seemed to shift a little uncomfortably. "Have a secret, can you keep it?"

KiBum blinked. "Yeah, of course. What's wrong Henry?" 

Taking a deep breath, Henry gave a small shake of his head. Two fuzzy cat ears popped up, one twitching slightly. "I'm half Sign."

The other man's eyes widened in shock. Whatever he'd thought Henry was going to say, it wasn't that. "...Half Sign?" He looked at Henry's ears. Half tiger? "So...your mom and dad..." 

"My Dad is a tiger, mom human," Henry said. "I didn't want to tell you, I've heard bad things about what Korean's do to Signs."

KiBum's expression fell and he looked down. Standing, he placed his bottle down and crossed to Henry's side of the room, sitting down beside him.

"Not this Korean," he said quietly, looking at Henry beside him. "I'm really sorry. I wish Korea was as good for Signs as Canada." 

"It's not your fault," Henry said, lips quirking. "I'm glad my roommate... accepts. Can be myself now."

"You can always be yourself around me," KiBum grinned, nudging Henry lightly. "If you...run into any problems here, I'll help. You're my friend." 

"Thank you," Henry said, ducking his head a little, wiping at his eyes. "You don't know what that means to me. Glad you're my friend KiBum."

Smiling, KiBum slung his arm around Henry's shoulder. "Come on...no tears. We're supposed to be getting drunk, remember?" 

"Sounds good," Henry chuckled, looking up at him. "We see that guy with the goat again, we push him down okay?"

KiBum smirked. "I like your ideas. I thought Canadians were all quiet and non-confrontational?" 

"And just how many Canadians have you met?" Henry rolled his eyes. "Our sport is hockey, getting into fights is part of the game."

"Including you, I've met one," KiBum grinned. Getting to his feet, he grabbed their bottles of soju off the desk before dropping back down beside Henry and holding out the other man's drink. "Tell me more about Canada, and free Signs." 

"Feel like if I talk too much about Canada, you'll be disappointed when you visit," Henry said, accepting the drink. "But, best maple syrup in the _world_."

*************************

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the Decerto tournament semi-finals!"

The roar of the crowd was deafening even up in their private spectator's box, KyuHyun wincing as he resisted covering his ears. Spring had arrived, and with it the annual tournament. At least university finished shortly after the preliminaries, so Zhou Mi didn't have to spend a good part of the day traveling back and forth between the two locations.

This tournament was almost over too, only two matches remaining: the last pair of fighters in the semi-finals, and then the final match. The snake would have felt better about that if the tournament didn't increase in violence the closer to the end they got, and the last match they'd watched had one fighter's insides spilled across the arena. A break had been called to clean up the mess.

"Two more matches." He looked back at Zhou Mi. "We're just about through." 

"And then a break until fall," Zhou Mi nodded, slumped a little in his seat. This was the second tournament he had had to sit through since starting his internship with the Gaming Commission. An internship that had landed him a job as one of the advisers to the commissioner. It was an important place for him to be, where he and Geng had planned for him to be. Didn't mean he was happy about it.

Part of his job was to watch each round, so he could not only discuss with the commissioner about tactics, but ideas for the following year regarding the matches. There was so much work and planning involved when it came to the tournaments that Zhou Mi was drained before they even officially began. "The ox and tiger are up next right?"

"Yeah," KyuHyun nodded, glancing towards the ring where the dog referee was about to introduce the fighters. "Then the winner will go up with that dragon from the last round...and then that's it. At least the Jung dragon didn't make it this far." 

"And I pity that dragon," Zhou Mi said, lips thin. "I doubt we'll see that dragon in a tournament ever again."

The snake didn't say anything against that; he knew it as well as Zhou Mi did. And if they did see the dragon Master Jung had gotten his hands on again, it wouldn't be a good thing.

The crowd's cheers had picked up again; the fighters had stepped out of the gates on opposite sides of the field. "Do we have to watch this?" KyuHyun sighed, pushing away from the wall and going to sit down next to Zhou Mi. "I can already recite that dog's speech in my sleep. Sometimes I think I do." 

Zhou Mi chuckled softly at that, shifting in his seat so he could see properly. "We could get away with ignoring most of the first and second tier matches, but the third and final matches I have to pay attention to. He'll ask for my thoughts and I can't seem like I wasn't paying attention. Not when he's basically pulled me under his wing."

"He's an asshole," KyuHyun muttered under his breath. He'd made it clear on plenty of occasions how much he hated Commissioner Kang HoDong. Sometimes he thought the man could sense his hate for him. 

"An asshole who will likely be retiring soon," Zhou Mi said, glancing over at KyuHyun. "We only have to put up with him for another season at most. If he plans on running the games until he dies, then maybe we'll have to take action."

KyuHyun wrinkled his nose a little, sighing as the fight began below. The arena this time was comprised of many platforms, some stone and some cement. The fighters had to navigate the platforms carefully during the fight: spikes waited for them below. As was custom for the final tier, all five elements were available to the fighters: water stored in a few platforms, vines and grass in others, metal in the spikes below, swinging lanterns hanging from poles and of course the stone pillars. The poor dog referee had to keep jumping around to avoid getting mowed down by the two fighters; attacking the referee was against the rules, but that didn't mean he hadn't been used as target practice throughout the years.

"That ox is going to charge right off the platform," KyuHyun said, only half-watching the fight. _He_ didn't have to report on anything, but he watched to show Zhou Mi that if the human was going to go through this, he would too. 

Zhou Mi frowned, leaning forward a little as he watched. "Something's off," he said, watching the tiger hop from platform to platform. "There," he pointed to the cement platform the tiger had just jumped from, the platform wobbling slightly. "It isn't secure, it must have been jostled loose during the last fight... oh no," his eyebrows raised when the dog referee landed on the platform, followed closely by the ox who was going after the tiger.

There wasn't even much of a warning as the platform snapped loose, the two slaves tumbling off the platform into the spikes below.

Eyes wide, KyuHyun swore loudly and looked away, the crowd just as shocked for a moment before the volume nearly became unbearable. They were angry, that hadn't been the spectacular semi-final match they'd been looking for. A fighter done in by a loose platform wasn't much of a show.

KyuHyun wasn't thinking about that, instead thinking of the dog referee who had given him a tentative smile just that morning. His hands clenched in his lap. "...Guess we're going to need a new referee." 

"Seems so," Zhou Mi said, looking pale. "Come on, he's going to want to see us to figure out what to do," he said, getting to his feet and heading for the door.

KyuHyun stood up, shoulders stiff as he followed Zhou Mi out of their private box. The dog wouldn't even be seen as a loss, just a hassle to replace. It put KyuHyun in a dark mood to think about, struggling to hide the expression from his face as they arrived at the commissioner's box.

The commissioner looked up as they arrived. "Zhou Mi, good, you're here. We can't afford to fall behind schedule any more than that last delay has put us. Which means we have...ten, fifteen minutes at most to come up with another referee." 

Zhou Mi kept the question he wanted to ask of where they were going to find a suitable replacement at this stage to himself. That wouldn't be proactive about the situation. Instead, he blurted out the first name that came to mind, not thinking of the consequences, only of what it could do to help them in the long run. "KyuHyun can do it."

Not expecting that, KyuHyun froze in horror. Opening his mouth to ask what the hell Zhou Mi was thinking, he caught the commissioner looking at him calculatingly and tried not to shrink back.

"A snake, good, he'll do. Speak with the secretary outside snake, she'll bring you to the ring entrance." 

"Be careful," Zhou Mi said, looking at KyuHyun with an unreadable expression. He was sure to get an earful later about this, but KyuHyun had to see this was the right move. Anything to show the commissioner that he was a suitable candidate for the job.

KyuHyun stared at Zhou Mi, unable to believe what he was hearing. And he couldn't say anything about it, couldn't ask why his life was going to be put on the line, because he had to act like an obedient slave in front of the commissioner.

His expression closed off. "Yes master," he said, a bite to the word as he turned and left the commissioner's box. 

Sighing internally, Zhou Mi turned back to the commissioner. KyuHyun was likely going to murder him in his sleep over this. "Would you like me to remain for the final match?" he asked, trying to keep the tenseness out of his smile.

"Yes, saves tracking you down after. I want to hear your opinion on this year's fights." The commissioner turned back towards the ring. The tiger had disappeared to take a quick break before the last fight.

KyuHyun's heart raced in his chest as he was shown to the small, dimly lit room where the referee waited for the matches to begin. He could hear the noise of the crowd through the door on the other side of the room, the door that would lead to the arena he'd narrowly escaped two years ago.

Why had Zhou Mi sent him down here? His own boyfriend, the only person he'd been able to trust, sending him to die. Slowly pulling on the referee uniform and gloves, KyuHyun exhaled slowly, closing his eyes as the scales that framed his face slowly disappeared. Just to be sure, he used his inhaler before tucking it into the pocket of the pants he was leaving in the room. It wouldn't matter out there, an attack on those narrow platforms in the middle of a match would kill him.

"We're ready to begin the next match," he heard a voice holler from somewhere. Taking that as his cue, KyuHyun squared his shoulders and walked to the door, pulling it open. He blinked past the sudden sunlight, looking around the large arena. The ground ended a few feet away, the raised platforms beginning. The snake hadn't so much as _trained_ for the arena in two years.

Bracing himself, KyuHyun ran and leapt onto the nearest platform, staggering a little. Well, crap. They were smaller than he thought. Trying not to look at the spikes waiting to impale him below, he carefully navigated his way to the center of the arena. 

Zhou Mi sat down, watching KyuHyun move through the arena. Every time the snake wobbled he felt his heart clench in his chest. This had been a stupid idea on his part, and he'd have to make it up to KyuHyun as best he could. 

*******************************11

Talking with the commissioner for the few minutes of break there was, Zhou Mi mostly just agreed with the man on certain points, falling in line behind him. The only times his opinion was asked for and expected an honest response were of things that held no bearing. Like the style of arena or a favorite in any of the matches. Any real decisions and he was still going to agree with the commissioner. For now anyway. Soon enough he'd make his move and show a stronger conviction. He just had to play it safe.

Playing it safe though had never had KyuHyun in the middle of the arena as an option, and when the break time was over, Zhou Mi fell quiet as he looked down into the arena below.

Stopping, KyuHyun looked up at the thousands and thousands of people watching the arena. He had never felt so insignificant before, all those eyes on him as he pulled the microphone out of his jacket pocket and turned it on. The snake had to take a breath before lifting it to his lips.

"Thank you for your patience." His voice echoed across the arena and stands, the snake blanking momentarily before continuing. "Two fighters remain in this year's Decerto tournament, but only one can win. Please join me in welcoming our remaining fighters for the final match!"

He must have said something properly, because the crowd was cheering again, screaming for blood. KyuHyun lowered the mic, the platform he was on trembling slightly as the immense gates on either end of the arena opened. The one he could see opened to reveal the remaining dragon fighter, icy-blue wings folded up behind him and head lifted. The dragon leap easily onto the first platform, making his way to the center.

Turning around, KyuHyun saw the tiger fighter approaching as well. The two fighters stopped when they were merely five platforms away, KyuHyun separated from them by just as much.

He lifted his mic again. "Fighters, are you ready? Begin!" KyuHyun quickly leapt to a further platform as the two fighters charged each other, the dragon's wings snapping open and carrying him out of harm's reach as the tiger tried to slash him open. 

Zhou Mi tried not to appear nervous, keeping his hands clenched tightly in his lap as he watched the progression of the match on the screens. There were two fighters out for blood, and KyuHyun was right in between them. That was something that needed to be addressed in the future. The referee should not be in harm's way in the final tournament.

"A fire tiger against a water dragon," he mused out loud. "Both rare elements for their signs, I'm sure they'll be talking about this match for years to come." His musings brought something to mind he hadn't had reason to discuss with KyuHyun beforehand, about his control over his element.

"Yes, this is the perfect match," the commissioner replied, lips curled as he watch the fighters. "Tiger and dragon; fire and water. The eternal clash of both Sign and element, perfectly matched. This is a match where the outcome will be a mystery right until the very end." The dragon fought from the air, manipulating the nearby water into sheets of ice he attacked the tiger with. 

At this point, Zhou Mi cared very little for who actually won the match, just so long as KyuHyun didn't get hurt. The image of the dog referee falling to his death on the spikes was still fresh on his mind and he didn't know what he'd do without KyuHyun.

As was expected of him though, he watched the match progress, making small comments about the two fighters occasionally. The commissioner was right in saying the two were evenly matched, both signs strong physically, and their elements balanced each other out. Though the tiger couldn't reach the dragon from the ground, he made short work of the ice with help from the lanterns. The tiger raised up both hands, the fire rising and growing to his command. The ice gave way to the heat of the fire, and the tiger in half form had jumped up to the top of one of the pillars, attempting to pounce on the dragon in midair.

The dragon attempted to evade, but wasn't fast enough. The tiger landed on his back, the dragon's scream cutting through the air as sharp claws punctured both wings and tore.

Watching, KyuHyun's eyes widened as both fighters plummeted right for him, the snake hurrying to another platform to avoid being mowed over. He didn't notice the black ice until he hit it, skidding right off the platform with a shout.

His fingers caught the edge of the stone platform just in time, KyuHyun gasping as he hung on and tried not to look down at the spikes several feet below. He heard a loud thud nearby, the two other fighters landing on the platforms rather than fall off. 

Unable to focus on the fight in his predicament, KyuHyun tried to pull himself back up, jaw clenching as his feet scrapped uselessly against the side of the stone. Wait. Stone.

KyuHyun drew in a breath and slammed one foot against the pillar, the stone shuddering as a block big enough to get a toe hold jutted out. Doing it again for the other foot, he had enough leverage to leap up and swing himself back onto the top of the platform. The snake panted heavily, hands shaking at the close call as he looked around quickly for the fighters.

The dragon had managed to get away from the tiger, but not without a price. His wings were shredded into ribbons, half-folded and trembling behind the fighter. The dragon was panting, blue eyes watching as the tiger leapt for him again. He didn't dodge, charging with a roar as he pulled out the hand he'd been hiding behind his back. It was covered in a sharp blade of ice. The tiger had no time to dodge.

With a horrible noise the tiger was impaled on the ice blade, the dragon shuddering before dumping the other fighter off the side of the platform.

KyuHyun couldn't see where the tiger had fallen from where he was sitting on his platform, but after waiting for ten seconds he realized the tiger wasn't coming back. Swallowing, he slowly pulled the mic out from where he'd stashed it in his pocket. "The tiger is...unable to continue," he said, out of breath. "The Kwon dragon has won the match and the tournament, congratulations." His lackluster ending was overwhelmed by the noise of the crowd. 

Zhou Mi felt his heart restart once KyuHyun had made it back up onto the platform, unable to hide his sigh of relief and slumping over slightly. "That was an interesting match," he said, glancing at the commissioner. The medical staff was already out on the field, helping the injured dragon back inside. He hadn't seen where KyuHyun had gone, the snake already off the field. "If you'll excuse me though, I have some things to take care of," he said, getting to his feet. "Congratulations on another fantastic year sir."

"Yes, brilliant ending to it," the commissioner was obviously pleased. "I expect to see you in a week's time at the board meeting, we have a lot to do." 

"Yes we do, enjoy your time off," Zhou Mi said, bowing at the waist before turning and leaving the room. Expression grim, he hurried down the halls towards the lower levels, looking all over for KyuHyun as he went. One of the staff working on fighter wrangling pointed him towards the referee's chambers. Zhou Mi knocked on the door before opening it and peeking inside. "KuiXian?"

KyuHyun had changed back into his usual clothes by then, the referee's uniform in the corner where he'd thrown it. Sitting down in the only chair, he looked down at the scrapes littering his hands from the tumble off the platform, rubbing his fingers together and watching the dirt slowly come off.

When he heard Zhou Mi's voice, the snake stood and walked to the door. He didn't say anything to Zhou Mi, didn't even look at him as he pushed the door open wide enough to step out past Zhou Mi into the hallway. 

The lack of reply wasn't entirely unexpected, but with the amount of people around he couldn't say anything right then. "We're done for the day, let's go," he said, trying to meet KyuHyun's eyes. " _I'm sorry_ ," he said, the whisper in Mandarin.

Again there was no reply, KyuHyun not acknowledging Zhou Mi had spoken at all. He only moved when the human did, turning to follow behind him as they made their way towards the exits. 

Shoulders slumping slightly, Zhou Mi didn't try to say anything again. Not even when they were in the car on the way back home. Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against the window of the taxi as he thought about a number of things that had led up to this point. So much work had gone into getting to the point they were at, and if he lost his best supporter because of a stupid move, then what would he do?

By the time the taxi reached their building, Zhou Mi was in full fledged depression, his expression sour when they made it into the apartment and he collapsed onto a couch, burying his face in one of the pillows in an attempt to suffocate himself.

KyuHyun didn't say anything to the human, slipping off his shoes and placing them away. He walked past the couch to the curtained corner of the room he hadn't used in over a year, the mattress of the bed bare of even sheets. The snake pulled the curtains closed roughly, the metal rod creaking in protest. 

The rest of that day was spent in silence, Zhou Mi eventually falling asleep on the couch. When he finally woke from his nap, he saw that KyuHyun hadn't yet come out from behind the curtain. This was one of the worst things that had happened to them, even worse than the drunken kiss that seemed a lifetime ago. He'd put KyuHyun's life in danger for political gain.

That wasn't how a good person treated someone they loved. That was how a master treated a slave and he had promised KyuHyun he would never do that. He wasn't sure if anything would regain the trust he had lost today. 

Getting to his feet, Zhou Mi approached the curtained off area, knocking lightly on the wall. "KuiXian," he said softly. "Can we talk?"

The curtain didn't budge, no movement visible on the other side. "There's nothing to talk about." The snake's voice was cold. 

"Yes there is," Zhou Mi said. "We need to talk about this. Please talk to me. If you need some time then okay, but we need to talk."

The seconds ticked by before the curtain was yanked roughly to the side, nearly tearing. "You threw me in there to _die_ ," KyuHyun said, a low hiss in his words. "What the fuck is there to talk about!?" 

Zhou Mi flinched back from the tone, his eyes wide as he took a step back. "... I know," he said softly, looking away. "And if I could take it back I would in an instant KuiXian... It was a stupid, _stupid_ thing I did."

"When would you have taken it back, _master_? I didn't see you taking it back when I was still in the room. I didn't see you stopping me from reaching the arena. I didn't hear an announcement to postpone the match a few more minutes while they found someone else." KyuHyun's voice steadily rose in volume until he was shouting. "When were you going to take it back, after I fell to my death? You can't apologize to the dead!" 

There was nothing Zhou Mi could say to that in response. KyuHyun was right, he could have put a stop to it at any time, but he didn't. His ambition had completely blinded him and nearly cost him the thing he loved most. "My apologies KyuHyun," he said, turning away and walking over to his desk. "I'm sorry for everything, and I'll make it right." Opening up the bottom drawer, he pulled out a file and set it down on the desk, flipping through it until he found what he was looking for. "I should have done this when I said I would and I'm sorry that I waited this long."

"What?" KyuHyun didn't move from the curtained corner of the room, hands clenched at his sides. "What are you doing?" 

Zhou Mi didn't look up, pulling a paper out from the file. "I'm giving you your freedom. I'm going to go down to the Sign regulatory affairs building and give you your freedom right now."

KyuHyun's eyes narrowed. "If you do that, they'll never let you be Games Commissioner." 

"I don't care!" Zhou Mi whirled around, looking at KyuHyun helplessly. "I sent you into that ring without a care for your safety and I never, _never_ want that to happen again. You are far too important to me, more important than anything I have ever done in my entire life."

The snakes clenched fists shook as he looked at Zhou Mi. "I didn't feel very important down there," he said, voice trembling. "I felt like nothing. And that's what Signs go through every day. That's how that dog felt as he fell onto the spikes. Like his death wouldn't even be worth a single tear. And you're the best hope any of those people have at being free, so don't you fucking dare throw all that away!" 

"KuiXian," Zhou Mi said, walking towards him. "I would give up everything we have worked for these past two years just to make sure you're safe. You mean more to me than all of this. I can't lose you, I refuse to lose you. I made a mistake today, a mistake that I will apologize to you for over and over again. I will never make you do anything to put you in harms way again. Ever. You're not a slave to me... I love you."

KyuHyun watched the human walk closer, swallowing and looking away. Zhou Mi had never told him he loved him before. "How am I supposed to trust you?" he asked quietly. 

"If I ever go back on my word, I won't hesitate to give you your freedom," Zhou Mi said. "I don't know how to convince you to trust me again, but all I know is that at one point, you trusted me with everything. I may not get back to that point again, but there must be a small part of you that does trust me still."

The snake folded his arms across his chest tightly, turning away. "...I don't know how I can trust you right now. That hurt, Zhou Mi, in more ways than one." 

"I know," Zhou Mi replied quietly. "Would it be best if we... stay away from each other for a while?"

KyuHyun closed his eyes, nodding mutely. "It would be better that way," he said after a long moment. 

"Very well, I'll go pack," Zhou Mi said, not even wiping at the tears that fell as he walked towards the stairs.

"I'm not gonna kick you out of your house," KyuHyun said quietly, unable to even look at the human as he heard Zhou Mi move away. 

"You're not," Zhou Mi said, starting up the stairs. "We need a break KuiXian, it's best if we're apart so I'm going to stay at a hotel for a few days."

"...Suit yourself." KyuHyun listened to Zhou Mi go before sighing heavily, rubbing his forehead. His heart hurt, but he ignored it as he grabbed a change of clothes and went to take a shower. 

Zhou Mi had finished packing before KyuHyun was done with his shower, bringing down his suitcase to the bottom of the stairs. KyuHyun would be okay for a few days without him, there was plenty of food to eat and there weren't any pressing things that either of them had to do for the next week. They had been looking forward to that time off to spend together. He was counting out money to leave for KyuHyun in case he needed anything when he heard the shower turn off.

KyuHyun slowly toweled off and pulled on clean clothes; at least the grime from the arena was gone now. He checked over the scrapes on his hands, covering the worst one with a bandage so it wouldn't be infected. All the while he kept his thoughts away from what had happened, not wanting to think about it anymore.

Pulling the door open, the snake stepped out of the bathroom and paused when he saw Zhou Mi back downstairs. He averted his eyes, slowly walking to the window and looking down at the street below. 

"I've left some money here," Zhou Mi said, folding the few bills into an envelope. "In case you want something more than ramen. I'll have Geng look in on you every now and then. I don't know what hotel I'll go to, but I'll make sure you know how to get a hold of me..." His lips trembled slightly, looking up to where KyuHyun was standing. "I love you KuiXian... and if I could go back and change the decision I made I would. I was really looking forward to spending some time with you this week, and just know that I'll be thinking about you."

KyuHyun closed his eyes, leaning against the window. Hearing the audible breaks in Zhou Mi's voice was almost too much.

"...I'll see you in a few days," he said quietly, turning his face to rest his forehead against the cool glass. 

"KuiXian..." Zhou Mi whispered, his lips trembling. "Do you want me to stay?"

The snake exhaled shakily, keeping his eyes closed against the tears he could feel. "...Yes," he whispered into the glass. 

Zhou Mi wasn't a sign, he didn't have that great of hearing but he knew KyuHyun had said something. "KuiXian," he said, taking a few steps forward. "Was that a yes...? Or... no."

KyuHyun drew in a breath. "Just go, Zhou Mi," he said louder this time. 

Nodding, Zhou Mi turned away, grabbing his suitcase as he left. Before going to the elevator, he stopped by Han Geng's apartment and knocked, wiping at his eyes. When HeeChul opened the door, the rooster blinked a couple of times at him. "Geng..." he said, backing up and looking over his shoulder. "It's for you."

"What?" Han Geng came into view, distracted by the paperwork he'd been reading. When he saw Zhou Mi at the door, and the state Zhou Mi was in, his eyes widened slightly. "...Mi? What's wrong?" he asked, slipping past HeeChul to the door. 

"Geng... I need you to look after KuiXian for me for a few days," Zhou Mi said, his voice uneven. "Just check in on him, see if he needs anything."

"Of...of course, I can do that," Han Geng's eyes tightened. "Why, where are you going?" 

"I... I'm going to a hotel," Zhou Mi said, his grip tightening on his suitcase. "I put KyuHyun into harm's way and now he doesn't trust me. I don't blame him so I'm going to stay out of his way for the time being."

"What did you do?" HeeChul's eyes were narrowed, standing at Han Geng's side.

"... I forced him into the arena as a referee," Zhou Mi said, the tears starting all over again.

"...What?" Han Geng didn't understand what was being said for a moment, sure he'd misheard that. But from the tears, it didn't seem he had. " _Why_?" He asked, shocked. "I don't understand Zhou Mi, that doesn't sound like you at all." 

"It isn't me, but I saw a chance and I took it without thinking," Zhou Mi said, his whole body trembling. "The.. the dog... was dead and the commissioner was... he was looking at me to do something and it was my _chance_. I didn't.. I didn't even consider how KuiXian... how he would feel and now he hates me and doesn't.. doesn't even want to speak to me."

Han Geng wasn't sure what to say to that, rather helpless as he looked at Zhou Mi's distraught expression. Looking at HeeChul beside him, he stepped out into the hallway and gently pulled Zhou Mi into a hug. "Give him some time," he whispered. 

Whatever control Zhou Mi had had up to that point was gone, completely breaking down in Han Geng's embrace. He couldn't even form words as he sobbed, fingers curled into Han Geng's shirt. 

"Would you bring him inside before he pisses off the whole building with his blubbering," HeeChul sighed a little, crossing his arms.

Han Geng frowned at HeeChul slightly before turning his attention back to Zhou Mi, rubbing the other man's back slowly. After a moment he gently guided Zhou Mi into the apartment, not detaching the crying man from his shirt.

"Close the door please," he said quietly to HeeChul as he brought Zhou Mi to sit on the couch. 

HeeChul glanced down the empty hallway towards the other apartment before closing the door. His expression was impassive as he sat down in a chair across from them. The rooster was not exactly sympathetic towards Zhou Mi's crying, eyeing the human coldly.

"I don't know... what to do," Zhou Mi whimpered, looking up at Han Geng. "How can I possibly fix this?"

"Not throwing people you're supposed to love into death pits is a good start," HeeChul quipped.

"That isn't helping HeeChul," Han Geng sighed, looking down at Zhou Mi. "I don't know what to tell you, Mi...you know you made a big mistake, that trust isn't going to come back easily." 

"I know," Zhou Mi nodded, looking over at HeeChul who was pointedly ignoring them now. "I think I ruined everything."

Han Geng frowned, looking down at Zhou Mi. "Maybe. That's a hard thing to bounce back from. The important thing is...are you willing to wait however long it takes for that trust to come back? Even if it takes another two years?" 

"Of course," Zhou Mi said, rubbing at his eyes. "I'll wait for however long it takes. I love him Geng... I love him so much."

"Then why are you running away from him?" HeeChul asked, still not looking at them. "Not that I don't think you _should_ , but if you love him, why are you leaving?"

Zhou Mi blinked at the question, sitting up a little. "Because... he needs time to himself, away from me. That's the right thing to do."

Han Geng saddened. "If you think he needs time, then all right...but don't be gone too long, Zhou Mi. Too much time apart won't help either of you." He looked thoughtful then. "I have an idea, if you're willing to hear it." 

"I'm willing to listen to anything right now," Zhou Mi said, sounding completely despondent.

"I think you both need a vacation," Han Geng smiled softly. "A long one. Give KyuHyun a day or two, then take him somewhere. I heard North America is nice in the summer." 

"A vacation?" Zhou Mi hadn't been expecting that. "Why to America?"

"Because Signs are free there," HeeChul said, eyeing Han Geng. "I thought that was _our_ vacation plan."

"It still can be," Han Geng smiled at HeeChul. "But I think they need this too." He looked back at Zhou Mi. "You can take off KyuHyun's collar while there, and no one will know the difference as long as it's back on before you pass through customs to return." 

"I... think he'll like that," Zhou Mi nodded, thinking about it a little more. "Being away from Korea in a place where he isn't reviled... he'll like that. I don't think he'd want to come home."

"I didn't say the plan was perfect," Han Geng chuckled softly, resting his hand on Zhou Mi's shoulder. "But it could go a long way to helping you both. Don't come back until you absolutely have to, take all the time you can to be just you and him." 

"As long as he agrees with the idea, then that's what we'll do," Zhou Mi nodded. "Thank you Geng. I'm glad I have you to count on when I need a friend."

"I'm sure you'd do the same for me," Han Geng smiled, pulling him into another hug. "I'm always around to talk to." 

"One day I'll repay you for all the help you've provided," Zhou Mi said, hugging him in return. "Thank you." Pulling away, he got up to his feet. "And I'm sorry that I once again bothered you, I'll get in touch with you later and let you know where I'm staying."

"You're not a bother at all," Han Geng shook his head. "Best of luck, Zhou Mi." 

"Thank you, I'll need it this time," Zhou Mi said, taking his suitcase by the handle and going to the door. He gave a quiet goodbye before leaving, the door clicking shut behind him.

"That has to be one of the stupidest humans I've ever met," HeeChul said, glaring towards the door. "And that's saying a lot."

"I'm glad you held that in until he was gone," Han Geng sighed, rubbing his temples as he slumped back against the couch and closed his eyes. "I think the stress got to him." 

"Stress is not a reasonable excuse to send someone you're supposed to love to their death," HeeChul said. "I can imagine what KyuHyun is feeling right now, how betrayed he feels. I don't think Zhou Mi really understands what it is he did. No amount of apologies will ever be good enough."

"That doesn't mean he should not try," Han Geng opened his eyes to look at HeeChul. He pushed himself to his feet, transferring to the couch the rooster was on and sitting down beside him. "Stress is a very poor excuse, but not trying to make things right is worse." 

"There comes a point when trying isn't enough," HeeChul said. "Being betrayed by a master is one thing, being betrayed by someone you love who is also your master... KyuHyun has no reason to ever trust Mi again. I wouldn't if I was him."

"I'm hoping you're never like him." Han Geng looked at HeeChul beside him, lightly touching one hand to HeeChul's knee. "You sound angry for more than just KyuHyun." 

"I'm angry for every sign that is betrayed by their master," HeeChul said, avoiding Han Geng's eyes. "Even the kindest ones can destroy you."

Han Geng leaned forward, trying to catch HeeChul's eyes without forcing the rooster to turn his head. "Do you think of me that way?" he asked quietly. 

"... You haven't betrayed me," HeeChul said, finally looking up. "But that doesn't mean I don't think it isn't a possibility."

The other man pulled back, a little hurt. He sighed and looked away. "I guess I can understand why you can't trust a human. Years together wouldn't mean anything." 

"... No, that's not..." HeeChul shook his head. "Years together _do_ mean something. But my life, or any slave's life, is built around the whim of a human. You bought me on a whim, Geng. I was sure I wouldn't last with you for more than a week before you decided you really didn't want a slave around. I trust you, and that took a very long time."

"It might have been a whim, but not once have I ever regretted it," Han Geng said. "Even when you told me my Korean was crap and purposely did a bunch of things to get a rise out of me, I didn't regret it. You would be free right now if I didn't think I could protect you better this way. If I couldn't get you to a doctor faster if you were sick, this way. If I couldn't use my name to make sure no thugs tried to harm you, this way." 

HeeChul watched Han Geng with an unreadable expression, shifting forward slightly to touch a hand to Han Geng's cheek. "Geng," he said softly, drawing the human around to look at him. "I don't care about being protected from the outside world. I just want to be safe in knowing that you will love me forever. That you won't decide in ten years you'd rather have a human, or worse a wife and kids. Promise me that."

Han Geng looked at HeeChul, cupping the hand against his cheek. "I can't predict ten years into the future, and you'll just yell at me for pretending I can," he smiled gently. "But I can promise you that right now, I'd be the happiest man in the world to stay with you the rest of my life. We've already tried otherwise, remember? I love you, only you." 

Closing his eyes, HeeChul leaned into the hand and sighed softly. "I love you too," he replied. Opening one eye, he smirked at Han Geng. "And you can't tell me you didn't enjoy your little fling with stick legs. I still feel like a third wheel sometimes when he's around."

"Zhou Mi is a friend," Han Geng wrinkled his nose at HeeChul. "Sleeping with him didn't feel right, and I don't like it when you bring it up, you know that." 

HeeChul wrinkled his nose right back. "I don't understand why. It's not like I was against it... if anyone was suited for you it would have been him. Same ideals, same nationality. Are you sure you made the right choice?"

"When will you stop asking me that even when I say yes every time?" Han Geng shook his head. "One day I'm going to say no just to see your face." 

"..." HeeChul's expression soured and he poked Han Geng in the chest. "You wouldn't dare."

"Are you going to stop asking then?" Han Geng smiled sweetly at the rooster. "I've known you for years HeeChul, I know when you're sincerely worried and when you're baiting for compliments." 

"So complimenting me is a chore?" HeeChul scowled, pinching him. "I ask for so little, and you turn around tease me."

Han Geng yelped at the pinch, laughing. "I compliment you all day, I'm allowed one retaliation every now and then!" 

"Well, retaliate all you want, see if I smile at you again," HeeChul sniffed, getting to his feet. "Or keep you warm at night, or do those debaucherous acts you love so much." Flouncing off towards the stairs to the bedroom, he glanced over his shoulder with a smirk.

"Weren't you complaining a while ago I had no backbone," Han Geng chuckled, getting to his feet to follow HeeChul. "You're so confusing. And I think you like those debauk...debor...acts just as much." 

Stopping three steps up, HeeChul turned to look at him, arms stretched out to the rails. "Never said I didn't, and I think you like it when I'm confusing."

"It's you," Han Geng said, stopping on the second step and wrapping his arms around HeeChul's waist. "I wouldn't like it any other way." 

"Humans are so strange," HeeChul said, looking down at him. "Or maybe it's just you."

"I think you like it though," The human smiled before pulling HeeChul into a deep kiss. 

HeeChul didn't need to reply except to return the kiss, his arms going around Han Geng's neck. Even if he could have spoken at the moment, he probably wouldn't have admitted how much he really did like his strange, wonderful human.

**************************************12

The apartment was too quiet. KyuHyun walked around slowly, just to make some noise even if it was just the floorboards creaking. Waking up that morning, he'd been confused at first where he was, sprawled out on the mattress in the corner of the room. But it hadn't taken long to remember why he was there and why he heard no sign of Zhou Mi elsewhere in the apartment.

Most of the day was spent curled up or lying down in various spots around the apartment, most commonly the couch and beside the window. KyuHyun did find himself upstairs around noon, looking around the loft space and noticing what Zhou Mi had taken with him wherever he'd gone.

Lying on his back beside the window, KyuHyun watched the shadows slowly shift across the ceiling. He had no idea what he was going to do, honestly. Hurt and betrayal weighed heavily in his heart, and he was just so _angry_ , but being alone seemed to drain all the anger out of him. If he was going to be perfectly honest with himself, he had fallen in love with Zhou Mi. And he was at war with himself, half of him wanting nothing to do with the human, and the other hand wanting to find him, put his arms around him and hear Zhou Mi tell him again that he loved KyuHyun. 

The lock on the apartment door clicked and the door slowly pushed open. Despite telling KyuHyun he'd give him a couple of days, Zhou Mi couldn't bring himself to stay away. Poking his head in, he waited for a moment to listen for any sounds. Frowning slightly when he heard nothing, he slipped in and shut the door behind him, setting the suitcase to the side. "KuiXian?" he called hesitantly, fearing that KyuHyun had run away.

Blinking, KyuHyun slowly sat up. He shifted to one side so he could see around the couch to the front door, Zhou Mi standing there in the entrance way. "...You're back." 

"Yeah," Zhou Mi nodded, pulling off his shoes and stepping away from the door. "I just couldn't stay away, I'm sorry... I know I said I'd give you your space but... I missed you so much, and I'm so sorry KuiXian."

KyuHyun looked away, pushing himself back to lean against the window and draw his legs up to his chest. "I can't say I forgive you yet," he said after a long pause. The bruises had been given time to appear by then, sore after the tumble off the platform and leaping from pillar to pillar yesterday. 

"I know, and I don't expect you to right away," Zhou Mi said, walking to the couch and sitting down. "But I want to earn that trust and forgiveness. It may take a long time, but it's worth it. And if you want to try, I know how we can start."

The snake frowned. "...What do you mean?" 

"We need to get out of here," Zhou Mi said. "Not just out of the apartment, but out of this city, this country. I want to take you on a vacation, somewhere that I think you will love. Somewhere... where you're treated as an equal."

KyuHyun looked up at Zhou Mi at that, confusion evident in his face. "...You lost me. Somewhere _where_?" 

"North America," Zhou Mi said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Where Signs are free."

That came as a complete surprise. "There's a place like that?" KyuHyun asked, not sure whether to believe Zhou Mi or not. It sounded too good to be true. "Really?" 

"Really," Zhou Mi nodded, lips curling slightly. "If you want to go, start packing. We will take the first flight out of here and stay for as long as we want."

"...Why?" KyuHyun looked away. "Why do you even want to bring me anywhere?" 

"Because I want you to be happy," Zhou Mi said with a small sigh. "That's all I've ever wanted. If I can't bring you happiness, then we'll find another way."

The snake thought about that for a long moment. A place to go where he wouldn't be expected to be a slave all the time, where he could speak his mind and not worry about getting killed.

"We can go?" he asked quietly, glancing back at Zhou Mi. 

"Soon as you get a bag packed," Zhou Mi nodded.

Watching the human for a moment, KyuHyun stood up. He walked to his curtained corner of the room, crouching to pull out the small duffel bag in the bottom drawer of the dresser. There wasn't much to pack, the snake didn't own much, but he went through the drawers stuffing whatever clothes he had into the bag. He'd never left Korea before, Seoul only on rare occasions. 

While KyuHyun was packing, Zhou Mi went to his desk to gather what documents he would need. His passport was still valid, and he had all of the licenses he need for KyuHyun to travel abroad. He hadn't been sure that KyuHyun would agree to the vacation, but the fact that he did was encouraging. Tucking the papers and his passport into his pocket, he went to the door to wait for KyuHyun to be ready.

It didn't take long to finish packing, KyuHyun closing the duffel bag and slinging it over his shoulder. He looked around the apartment before following Zhou Mi to the door, pulling his shoes on. "Ready." 

"Taxi is waiting downstairs," Zhou Mi said, hand on the door handle. "Thank you for agreeing to this KuiXian. I think it'll be good for you... and for both of us."

KyuHyun eyed the human warily, not entirely sure what to make of this sudden idea. He didn't know what to expect either. "We'll see," he said finally, shoulders hunched as he waited to follow Zhou Mi out of the apartment. 

Lips quirking slightly, Zhou Mi opened the door and stepped out first. "Try to contain that enthusiasm KuiXian," he said lightly, glancing over his shoulder. "Wouldn't want you to be disappointed."

Blinking at Zhou Mi, KyuHyun looked away with an indignant sniff, realizing he was being made fun of. It was just like when he first got here, Zhou Mi teasing him then too.

He trailed after the human all the way down to the lobby, where he saw there was indeed a taxi already waiting for them. They got inside, KyuHyun holding onto his duffel bag tightly and looking out the window at the people passing by in the streets. 

Getting settled in his seat, Zhou Mi instructed the driver to take them to the airport. "So, KuiXian. Where should we go?" he asked, watching the snake. "We can go anywhere in North America... Hollywood? New York?"

KyuHyun looked back at Zhou Mi, frowning slightly at the names. "...I don't know the difference between any of those places." At some point over the two years he'd gotten a hold of a global map Zhou Mi had stashed in a corner and memorized the various countries, but beyond that he had little idea of the world outside South Korea. He didn't like how little he still knew. 

"Truthfully I don't know the difference either," Zhou Mi chuckled. "But I know New York is supposed to have some of the best shopping in the world. Let's go there, and eat real New York pizza. Sound good?"

"Sure," KyuHyun nodded. Any place was fine with him...he was far more interested in the idea that Signs were free where they were going than picking between hard to pronounce names. "They uh...speak Korean? Mandarin?" 

Zhou Mi's smile faltered slightly and he blinked a couple of times. "Uh... hopefully? I think they speak mainly English there... We'll have to pick up a dictionary at the airport. We'll be fine though, I know a small bit of English."

The snake didn't appear particularly reassured, looking back out the taxi window. Thinking about where they were going made him realize something else. "...I've never been on an airplane before." 

"Are you afraid of heights?" Zhou Mi asked. "It can be a scary thing until you experience it. I love flying, I think it's relaxing."

"I don't know if I'm afraid of heights, I don't think so," KyuHyun frowned. Either way, shifting in fright on a crowded airplane wouldn't be the best idea ever. He'd be fine. 

"Guess we'll see," Zhou Mi said, looking back out the window, watching the buildings go by. They arrived at the airport a while later, Zhou Mi paying the driver before stepping out. He grabbed his suitcase from the trunk and started for the main doors.

There was a lot more people at the airport than KyuHyun thought there would be. He slung his duffel bag over his shoulder and followed after Zhou Mi, not wanting to fall behind.

There was a roaring sound overhead and the snake blinked, looking upwards. A plane was taking off, soaring over their heads.

His distraction cost him as KyuHyun walked right into someone. "Hey, watch it!" The snake yelped as he landed on his rear, nearly dropping his bag. 

Hearing the commotion, Zhou Mi stopped and turned around. The man KyuHyun had run in to was glaring at the sign and then looked up at Zhou Mi. "Keep your property on a leash!" the man said. "It touched me!"

Zhou Mi's eyes narrowed and he walked up to the man. "Your point?" he said lowly.

Looking up at Zhou Mi's face as he slowly stood up, KyuHyun thought the stork-like human was ready to punch the other guy, who was twice Mi's body mass. Zhou Mi's response startled the snake, looking between them both quickly.

"Zhou— Master, you will miss your flight, he said quickly, wedging himself between the two and steering Zhou Mi away towards the doors. 

Zhou Mi only barely registered that KyuHyun was talking, but was easily pushed towards the doors. He only broken eye contact with the other human when it hurt his neck too much to continue. "You need to be more careful," he said quietly to the snake. "Anything you do can get us both in trouble."

"Sorry," the snake mumbled, looking away as he readjusted his duffel bag and flinched, switching it to his other shoulder. "Where are we going?" he asked as they walked through the airport doors into a massive lobby. 

"To a ticket counter, find the next available flight and book seats," Zhou Mi said, looking around as well. "Over here," he started towards an available counter that had a short line. "I'm sorry," he said with a sigh when they were finally in line. "It was as much your fault as it was that man's. But police would take his word over yours."

"I know that," KyuHyun replied; he didn't need Zhou Mi to tell him what he already knew. He was silent for a few minutes as they slowly moved up in line. "...Thanks." 

"For what?" Zhou Mi blinked, startled out of his thoughts. He'd been staring at the board over the counter for flight times. There was a flight leaving in a couple of hours, and hopefully it wouldn't be full.

"For standing up to him," KyuHyun said, looking away from the human. 

"...Oh," Zhou Mi nodded slightly, glancing at KyuHyun. "You don't need to thank me for that. He was an ass. If he had been paying attention where he was going, then you wouldn't have run into him. That and he called you property which pisses me off more than anything."

KyuHyun nodded slowly at that. He _was_ property, the collar around his neck practically screamed it. But the fact Zhou Mi didn't see him that way...

It had been why he'd fallen for the bumbling human in the first place.

They finally reached the counter, KyuHyun staying a step back as Zhou Mi bought their tickets. 

It didn't take long to book the tickets, Zhou Mi insisting on first class accommodations for them. If this was KyuHyun's first flight then he would need to be comfortable. Tickets in hand, he stepped away from the desk, motioning KyuHyun to follow. "Let's get through security. Then maybe we can get something to eat? Are you hungry?"

"...A little." KyuHyun followed after Zhou Mi. "When's the flight?" He wanted to look around the new location, but to avoid another incident kept his attention on Zhou Mi. 

"About three hours from now," Zhou Mi said, heading towards the security checkpoint. "That's enough time to get through security and customs, eat, then find our terminal."

"How long will it take to _get_ to New York?" KyuHyun frowned, seeing the lineup at security. A loud beeping noise at one of the security gates made him jump. 

"... A long time," Zhou Mi said, pushing KyuHyun forward. "I hope you packed books."

"Just a couple," KyuHyun stumbled forward a little, not really wanting to approach the things that were making that noise.

Passing through security was...interesting, because KyuHyun didn't really want to pass through what Zhou Mi had to assure him was just a metal detector and not something designed to kill his hearing. Making it through without setting the thing off, KyuHyun pulling on his shoes again and picked up his duffel bag, waiting for Zhou Mi. 

"See, what did I tell you?" Zhou Mi said with a smile. "Now, there are plenty of places to eat on the terminal, let's find something that looks good?"

KyuHyun nodded, glancing around the airport. "Wherever you want to go." He fell in step behind Zhou Mi, trying not to be distracted by the large airplanes he could see through the floor to ceiling windows on the secured side of the airport. 

"Okay," Zhou Mi said, walking to the nearest cafe with a couple of tables and chairs out front. He ordered them two sandwiches and a couple of drinks to take to the tables to eat.

They waited around the terminal for their flight, the three hours passing slowly to KyuHyun who was nervous being around this much security. After eating and wandering around the station, they sat down outside their gate and the snake was able to hide behind a book.

Finally it came time to board. The seats were pretty comfortable, Zhou Mi had seen to that. When the plane took off, the question of whether KyuHyun was afraid of heights was answered; the snake seemed fine most of the time, until the plane banked to one side to do a U-turn. At least he didn't change form by accident; that was all they needed, a 2-meter long snake in the plane.

18 hours and a transfer later, the plane landed for the last time. "We have now arrived in New York City," a woman's voice spoke, before saying something in a language KyuHyun had no hope of understanding.

The snake rubbed his eyes, sitting up a little straighter; he'd fallen asleep the last stretch. "What time is it?" He murmured, peering out the window. 

"Not sure," Zhou Mi said, slowly getting to his feet. "We can find out when we get on the terminal."

KyuHyun got to his feet as well, waiting until the aisle was clear to get his and Zhou Mi's bags from the overhead storage units. "Here," he held out the human's suitcase. 

"Thank you," Zhou Mi grinned, taking the suitcase and starting towards the front. "We're on a whole new continent KuiXian," he said once they'd disembarked from the plane and made their way to the terminal. "First thing we need to do, is take off that collar."

The snake stopped in surprise. "...You're kidding, right? We'll both get into trouble if I go around without my collar." Not once in all the time he'd been with Zhou Mi had he taken off the leather collar around his neck. 

Zhou Mi stopped as well a few paces away, tilting his head. "In trouble from who? We're not in Korea KuiXian. We're someplace where you're considered free."

Free...that hadn't really sank in for KyuHyun. Even hearing Signs were free in this place, he didn't really think it applied to him too, that he would come here and still be a slave regardless. He touched the collar around his neck. He could really take it off?

"When can we take it off?" he asked once that had sunk in a little more. 

"...Maybe we should wait until we get to the hotel," Zhou Mi said quietly, touching KyuHyun's shoulder. "Let you get used to it a little before we do anything else."

Looking up at Zhou Mi, KyuHyun nodded at that, lowering his hand again. "...Is this why there were no other Signs on board the first plane from Korea? Because they would be free?" He'd been confused by the absolute lack of Signs, smelling only human on board. 

"Possibly," Zhou Mi frowned, glancing around. "Or it's possible they were... flown in storage. Or on another flight altogether. It's only a lucky few Signs that get to come here in first class."

Nodding slowly, KyuHyun looked around as well as they walked. All the signs they saw were written in a foreign language, and while there had been similar signs all through Korea he hadn't really bothered with them, because a Korean version was always close at hand. He really hoped Zhou Mi was good in English, because KyuHyun had no idea where he was going, unconsciously walking a little closer as he eyed a group of people talking loudly in English. 

Unfortunately, Zhou Mi wasn't nearly as good at English as he'd like to be. Keeping KyuHyun near, he looked around as they walked through the terminal. The general flow of people seemed to be heading in a particular direction, so as any good lemming would do, he followed the crowd. Before they could leave the terminal, Zhou Mi spotted what he thought was a tourist shop, and took KyuHyun by the arm to navigate towards it. "They must have maps and dictionaries here. If not in Korean at least in Mandarin."

KyuHyun followed when his arm was pulled, skeptical as he looked at the shop. "How about someone who _speaks_ either, so we can ask?" 

"One thing at a time, KuiXian," Zhou Mi said with a small sigh. They really should have stopped at a bookstore before going to the airport. Once inside the shop, Zhou Mi looked around for anything that resembled a language he understood. There were plenty of european language books and even more he didn't recognize until one popped out. "Look! See?" he picked up a Mandarin to English dictionary. "This should help... oh there's a Korean one too," he cooed and picked that one up as well, clutching the books tightly to his chest as he looked around some more. "Tell me if you find maps."

"Uh, sure." KyuHyun looked around the shop, frowning at the words he didn't understand. Maybe he should have tried studying English as well.

In a back corner, he located several maps rolled up in tubes. "Hey Mi, the maps are over here." He saw the store owner looking at them weirdly. 

Zhou Mi joined KyuHyun and began to poke through them, as well as the folded maps to the side. "I don't see any in... oh here's one," Zhou Mi picked up one of the rolled maps and pulled it open to the pull the map out. It was huge. "Okay, we'll take this and the books..." Gathering everything up, he took them to the counter and unloaded his arms. He had no idea what the cashier was saying, so he just held out his credit card and smiled. They'd have to stop and get some American money at some point, he couldn't use his credit card for everything.

Once outside the shop with his bags, Zhou Mi was already looking through the dictionary and frowning. "Okay, so we need to get a taxi, and get to a hotel... how do I say that."

"I thought you said you knew some English?" KyuHyun caught the map that was about to tip out of it's bag before taking it off of Zhou Mi.

"Saying hello and bye and thank you is some, but not enough," Zhou Mi winced. "It's not like we need to know much else right? Maybe I can find a translator or something, there's a consulate here," he muttered, trailing off as he continued to walk. 

"..." KyuHyun shook his head and followed after Zhou Mi, rubbing his eyes. He was tired after the long flight, and knew Zhou Mi had to be too. "I think those are taxis over there," he pointed as they left the airport. 

"Hm?" Zhou Mi finally looked up and nodded. It was then he seemed to realize he was in a different country and he stopped, looking around. "...We're... in America KuiXian," he said with a smile. "It's amazing."

"...Uh, yeah?" KyuHyun eyed the human, who was clearly a little more tired than the snake originally thought. It was cool being in a different country, but finding a hotel and sleeping off the jetlag came first for KyuHyun. While Zhou Mi was distracted KyuHyun snuck the dictionary out of his hands, flipping through it with a frown until he found a section of phrases useful for traveling. "Come on, let's go. Are we going to any hotel?" 

"Yes, any hotel," Zhou Mi nodded, not really seeming to notice. "One in uh... Manhattan. Expensive hotel. That's the best place right? I think?"

"You're really asking the wrong person," KyuHyun rolled his eyes, pulling Zhou Mi along to the taxis.

Reaching the first one, he stopped and looked between Zhou Mi and the taxi driver. It was clearly up to him to figure this out, waving to get the driver's attention. "Where is...the...hotel?" he recited slowly and carefully from the phrasebook, wincing because he knew that wasn't right but there was little he could do about it.

The taxi driver didn't seem to understand, neither did KyuHyun understand what was being said back to him, so he tried again. "Go to hotel, um...Manhattan hotel." 

After a bit of back and forth with mangled English and the driver actually getting out to help look at the dictionary, there was finally a moment of understanding. "He probably needs to know which hotel right?" Zhou Mi said, taking back the dictionary and flipping through it. "Any... hotel... Manhattan," he said, going to another page. "Expensive!" he looked at the driver with a grin. "Hotel expensive Manhattan!"

Obviously the syntax was all wrong, the driver laughing as he took their bags to load into the taxi. Zhou Mi quickly opened the door and scooted in, looking over the different signs all over the inside. "Hopefully he doesn't rob us and take all our stuff," he said, looking at KyuHyun when he climbed in and the door was shut.

"Why do you think of this _after_ it's too late to go somewhere else," KyuHyun sighed, slumping in his seat as he watched them pull away from the curb. Hopefully actually checking into the hotel would go better, but he doubted it. "How long are we staying here?" 

"No idea," Zhou Mi shrugged. "I didn't get return tickets. We can leave when we want to leave. We can stay all summer and learn English if we want. There's no time limit."

Blinking, KyuHyun glanced at Zhou Mi. "Isn't that...don't you have a meeting with the commissioner next week?" 

"I do," Zhou Mi nodded. "Well I did, but I told him this morning that I was taking a holiday and that I needed to get some affairs in order." He looked at KyuHyun with a small smile. "This was more important."

Meeting Zhou Mi's eyes, KyuHyun didn't know what to say to that. He ended up looking away to hide the slight quirk of his lips, looking outside the taxi instead. "It's...weird. I don't understand anything out there." 

"Me either, but that's part of the fun," Zhou Mi said, breathing in the air as he looked up at the buildings. "There is, as I understand it, a China... town, as well as a few streets in Manhattan that are Korean shops and restaurants. If we can't understand English, we can at least find those places and figure things out from there."

"Okay, good," KyuHyun nodded. At least there was somewhere they would be understood. He continued to watch the people around them as they traveled through the streets of New York.

Finally the taxi pulled up in front of what looked to be a massive hotel, and it certainly looked expensive. The taxi driver turned around and said something to them, KyuHyun blinking at the man in incomprehension. "Uh...I guess this is us." 

"Well, I'm sure this will be a very interesting new experience," Zhou Mi said, pulling out his wallet and handing over his credit card. "Keep that dictionary handy, we're going to need it." He shooed KyuHyun out so they could get their bags and get into the hotel. He wanted a top floor room so he could look down at the city.

KyuHyun climbed out of the taxi, going to get their stuff out of the trunk. Placing everything on the sidewalk, he picked up what he could and waited for Zhou Mi to be done paying. "Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll have a Korean or Chinese worker." 

"Maybe," Zhou Mi said, taking back his credit card and finally getting out of the cab. He looked up, and up, head tilting back as he looked at the buildings surrounding them. "Wow. Can you believe we're really here KuiXian?"

"It's...not really registering yet," KyuHyun blinked, looking around as well. "Come on...you've got to be tired too after that flight." He decided to leave admiring their new surroundings for when he was more awake, turning towards the hotel entrance. 

"Fine fine," Zhou Mi chuckled, taking his own suitcase inside. The hotel lobby was probably one of the most decadent and expensive looking rooms he had ever seen. As they approached the desk, he dipped his head slightly to the woman at the counter, smiling as brightly as he could. "Hi," he said awkwardly in English, fumbling for the dictionary again. "Room... please."

The woman, who was asian, smiled back at him. "Would you like a harbor view, or a city view?" she asked in Mandarin.

"... Uh," Zhou Mi opened his mouth to respond, blinking a few times before he slumped slightly in relief. "Oh, thank goodness. A... city view please?"

"Of course," she replied, tapping at a computer. "How long will you be staying with us?"

Waiting for them to finish, KyuHyun sniffed, blinked, and sniffed again. Snakes didn't have the best sense of smell amongst the Signs, but he could have sworn... He looked at the woman who was talking with Zhou Mi again.

She was...a goat. Realizing that, KyuHyun looked at her neck. She had no collar, nor any scars to give away ever having one. 

"A week to start, it may be longer," Zhou Mi said. "We'd like a room near the top, most expensive room you have."

"We have a honeymoon suite," the woman said, looking between them with a knowing smile. She seemed to do a double take though, looking at KyuHyun and the collar. The smile pinched off and her lips thinned as she looked away. "Was there anything else sir?"

"Hm? Oh, no, that should do just fine," Zhou Mi said, getting out his wallet again to hand over his credit card. "Could you have a bottle of the nicest wine sent to the room?"

KyuHyun raised an eyebrow at all the expenses; they were adding up.

"I'll arrange that right away," the woman behind the counter replied, taking his credit card and entering it into the system. Passing it back across the counter, she gave them two room cards. "Your room's ready." 

"Thank you," Zhou Mi bowed again, taking his card and starting for the elevator. "Let's go KuiXian. I think a nice glass of wine and a bit of a rest is just what we need," he said, looking over at the snake. "And tomorrow, we can do whatever you want to do."

"I..." KyuHyun shook his head, following after Zhou Mi. He was too tired to think just then. "I'm not sure what there is to do...look around I guess?" He pressed the elevator button. 

"Yes, a couple days just wandering the city," Zhou Mi nodded. "Find the best restaurants in town, maybe go to Central Park, which I think you'll like a lot."

"Central Park? Sure," KyuHyun blinked. "It's like the park back near your apartment? Should I bring my inhaler?" 

"It's a bigger park, and yes," Zhou Mi nodded, stepping onto the elevator when it arrived. "With all the walking around we're planning on doing, you should keep it on hand."

Nodding, KyuHyun followed him into the elevator. The back of the elevator had a glass pane opening up onto a view of a garden. The snake peered out curiously before looking at Zhou Mi. "That Chinese girl...she's a goat." 

"...Really?" Zhou Mi blinked at that, not even aware. "Ah... I think that would explain the look then. Well it's comforting to know that Sign's really can live their own lives here."

"She didn't have a collar. So she was...working here, not working for an owner who works here?" KyuHyun looked up at the numbers as the elevator rose. 

"That would be my assumption," Zhou Mi nodded. "I'm sure she won't be the only Sign we meet here."

Nodding slowly, KyuHyun didn't say anything else and just looked out the glass window. The elevator stopped on the top floor and he followed Zhou Mi out, looking around the long spacious corridor. 

Humming a little to himself, Zhou Mi checked room numbers as they started down the hall. When they reached the end, Zhou Mi looked at the key card in his hand and matched it to the room number. "I think this is us," he said, sliding the key card into the lock and waiting for the beep. The door unlocked and he pushed it open, eyes widening at what they were greeted with. The floor to ceiling windows were even more impressive than the apartment, the whole city stretching out below them. "Oh wow, look!" he made a beeline to the window, pointing towards the patch of green stretching away in the distance. "That's the park!"

Placing the bags down and closing the door behind them, KyuHyun's eyes widened slightly at the view. The snake followed Zhou Mi to the window slowly, stopping and pressing one hand against the glass. "...Wow. The park's...a little bigger than back in Korea." Little being an understatement. 

"It is," Zhou Mi nodded, glancing left to right. "Can you imagine how pretty this view will be at night? I think... This is going to be the best thing for us KuiXian. I think this will be perfect."

KyuHyun looked out the window for a long moment before turning his head towards Zhou Mi beside him. "You're doing all this...because of what happened in the arena?" 

"... Yes," Zhou Mi nodded, his smile turning sad. "I made a mistake, and put my own needs before yours. That can't happen again, because everything I've worked for, is for you."

The snake looked into Zhou Mi's eyes, seeing the sadness and regret in his face. After a moment he looked down, lifting a hand to lightly touch his collar. "Can we..." 

Zhou Mi looked at the hand on the collar and nodded. "Yes," he said softly, reaching forward to undo the buckle and slowly pull the leather away. He touched where the skin was slightly pink. "In a few days, this will disappear," he said softly, dropping the collar onto a table nearby. "How does it feel?"

KyuHyun felt the cool air against his neck. "...Light," he murmured, unable to help feeling a little lost. He couldn't remember ever _not_ wearing a collar, besides the short moments where he had to be fitted for a new one. The snake leaned against the window, looking down at the collar on the table blankly with one hand against his neck, feeling the chapped and scarred skin. 

"One day, you'll be able to take it off and never have to look at it again," Zhou Mi said quietly. "Because seeing you without one, is the most... beautiful sight I've ever seen."

The snake slowly looked up at Zhou Mi, eyes wide. After a moment he pushed away from the window only to lean against Zhou Mi instead, forehead resting on the man's shoulder. His hand dropped from his neck to hang limply at his side. 

Wrapping his arms around KyuHyun's shoulders, he held him the snake tightly. "I love you KuiXian," he whispered into his ear, kissing the side of his head.

KyuHyun exhaled softly, resting his hands against Zhou Mi's waist. "...I love you too," he murmured, eyes closed. 

Zhou Mi felt the tears welling in his eyes at the words, closing them so he could pull KyuHyun closer and bury his nose into the snake's hair. "I want to make you a promise," he said after a moment, pulling back to look into KyuHyun's eyes. "That no matter what happens, you come first."

Looking back at the human, KyuHyun's lips curled slightly. "Just promise to ask me next time before sending me into any arenas," he said quietly. 

"I wouldn't send you into the arena again," Zhou Mi said, brushing a hand over his cheek. "I learned my lesson there."

"Good." The snake hugged Zhou Mi tighter, nose against the other man's neck as he closed his eyes and sighed softly.

Enjoying the embrace, Zhou Mi's eyes opened when he heard a knock at the door. "That's probably the wine," he murmured, pulling back again and giving KyuHyun a small smile. "Glass of wine, then some sleep. Sound good?"

Looking back at the human, KyuHyun's lips quirked slightly as he nodded, stepping back out of Zhou Mi's embrace. "Sounds good."

He couldn't say he trusted Zhou Mi yet, as evident by the lack of scales and the eyes that remained black rather than blue, but it was becoming too exhausting to stay away from the man completely. 

Answering the door, Zhou Mi accepted the bottle of wine from the worker and brought it to the counter in the kitchenette. Hunting through the cabinets, he found two glasses and a bottle opener in the drawer. He brought the two glasses over to KyuHyun after he had poured them both a glass, handing it to him. "To a new beginning?" he said, holding up the glass.

Taking the glass, KyuHyun tapped the edge of it against the other man's. "And to being halfway across the world with no idea how to speak the language," he smirked a little, sipping at the wine. 

"That's not the part I'm worried about," Zhou Mi chuckled, taking a sip as well. "We could be a lot worse off."

"I guess so," KyuHyun nodded, sitting down on the couch after a moment. "You spent a lot of money on this place." 

"Worth it though," Zhou Mi said, following him over to sit in a chair. "We're in one of the greatest cities in the world, it's only fitting we do it right."

"You're going to be broke after this," KyuHyun wrinkled his nose a little at the other man. 

'I guess it's a good thing it's not my money," Zhou Mi said, rolling the wine a little in the glass. "Don't worry so much about how much money I'm spending, just enjoy yourself."

KyuHyun eyed him before sipping the wine again, rubbing his eyes to stay awake. "We're going to that massive park tomorrow?" 

"If that's what you want to do," Zhou Mi said, glancing at the clock. "Like I said, it's up to you what we do with our time."

Nodding, KyuHyun was quiet for a minute, enjoying the wine before placing the glass to one side. "You look like you're going to fall asleep and spill the wine on yourself." 

"I could say the same of you," Zhou Mi said, setting the glass down on the table. "Maybe we should get some sleep," he said, glancing towards the bed. "...If you would prefer I sleep on the couch, I will. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

KyuHyun glanced at the bed. "...The bed's pretty big, it's not a problem." He stood up, stretching out his arms and wincing. Looking around the suite, he went to the large windows and started to pull the curtains shut. 

"If you're sure," Zhou Mi said, watching him before slowly getting up. Now that he was relaxed and not moving around, he could feel how tired he really was. Opening up his suitcase, he pulled out something to sleep in and quickly changed before climbing into bed.

The snake didn't really have many clothes to sleep in, and he was used to sleeping in his boxers anyways. So once he had closed up the curtains he just stripped to his boxers, placing the clothes aside to deal with when he could think straight. He climbed into the bed, settling down under the sheets. 

Curling up on his side, Zhou Mi sighed a little. "I'm glad you came KuiXian."

KyuHyun looked at him through the darkness, blinking slowly. "Nowhere else I'd rather be right now," he murmured. 

"Me either," Zhou Mi replied, closing his eyes and drifting into sleep.

**********************************13

"That was a long flight," KiBum stretched out his arms and legs as he and Henry waited to pick up their luggage at the conveyor belts. The English chatter around him was a little overwhelming, going far too fast for him to really keep up with (not that he was trying to listen in to anyone's conversations). 

"Yeah, and it's a really boring one too," Henry said, eyeing each piece of baggage that went by.

"No wonder you didn't visit home during the semester...you'd have jetlag forever." KiBum spotted his bag and made a grab for it. "Uh...you're sure your family's okay with this?" 

"Of course, they're excited to meet a friend," Henry said, grabbing his own bag before it got too far. "And I already told them what your family does, and they're not going to judge you or anything so don't worry."

"That's something that probably should have been left unsaid," KiBum winced, pulling the handle out of his rolling suitcase. "I don't really want to think about it." 

"Look, my family are honest with each other," Henry said, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. "They'd just ask you about your family and what they did anyway so I saved you that ten seconds of awkwardness when you answered. They understand that it happens in Asia, it's why they left. But I told them you're not like that."

"Okay..." KiBum nodded before exhaling slowly, turning towards the non-secured area. "...They're going to laugh at my English, aren't they," he chuckled, shaking his head. 

"... Well, your English is better than theirs," Henry shrugged. "Communication with my family is a mish mash of Mandarin and English so don't feel bad if you get a little lost."

"I'll consider myself warned," KiBum winced, following along beside Henry as they headed towards the exit. It had been a long time since he'd been out of the country.

Maybe he should have called HyungJoon to let him know he was going somewhere for the summer...but his older brother hadn't called him either, the whole year. Maybe HyungJoon was too busy. Or maybe he just was glad to have KiBum out of his hair. 

"I hope you're not too tired to take the bus," Henry said. "My parents couldn't get out of work to come pick us up. I figure we can see a bit of the city this way."

"Sounds perfect," KiBum grinned. "As long as you can lead, because I'm going to be so lost. Are we crashing when we get to your place?" 

"Yeah, we'll try to anyway," Henry nodded, heading down the sidewalk to the bus stop. "I make no guarantees on the noise level."

"If we can sleep through the dorm chaos, we can sleep through anything," KiBum laughed, following after him. "...Uh, oh." He fumbled to pull out the bits of Canadian currency he'd gotten at customs before leaving Korea. "How much is the bus?" 

"I got it," Henry shook his head. "I used to ride the bus back and forth to school pretty much all the time so I've got a pass."

"Oh...okay," KiBum blinked. Good, he didn't have to figure out Canadian currency yet. "How long's the bus ride?" He stopped as they reached the bus line. 

"Five and a half songs, then it's a two song walk," Henry said with a grin. "Not long at all."

"...Song durations vary you know," KiBum hooked his arm around Henry's neck teasingly. "What if they're all two-minute songs?" 

"Then I get up and get off and get really confused," Henry squawked, pushing at him. "I have this down to a science, don't mock my methods."

"And if you get a 7-minute song, you get off two stops late?" KiBum laughed, staggering and holding on. 

"Okay, bringing you was a mistake, I realize this now," Henry huffed. "Maybe I should just put you back on a plane to Korea."

"But you'd miss me," KiBum pouted at him. "I'm tired and giddy, cut me some slack. And are you gonna be listening to music during the ride, or are we going to have to figure out the stop the normal way?" 

"I know what stop to get off at, what do you take me for?" Henry grumbled. "My music player is out of battery anyway, so I get to listen to you tease me some more."

"I'm getting you back for teasing me in Korea," KiBum smirked. "I took it easy on you those first months, until I figured out you're more devious than you look." 

Henry was the picture of innocence, blinking at KiBum. "I don't know what you're talking about, I'm a perfect angel."

"Uh-huh, an angel that swapped a halo for devil horns," KiBum grinned, looking up as the bus pulled up to the stop. 

"I think you have me confused with someone else," Henry sniffed, climbing onto the bus. He swiped his pass for them both and then found them a seat. "Once we get home, we can get my brother to drive us around. He's home from school right now too."

"After a nap, right?" KiBum hid a wide yawn behind one hand, dropping his head onto Henry's shoulder as if sleeping once they were sitting down. He was of course oblivious to the looks they were getting. 

"Yah, if you're still asleep when we reach the stop I'm not waking you up," Henry huffed. He stuck his tongue out at an older woman who was looking at them with a frown.

"You wouldn't be so mean as to leave your friend lost in a foreign country," KiBum pouted, not opening his eyes. 

"You just said I was devious, who knows what I'll do," Henry said, shifting a little so they were both comfortable. "But really, if you fall asleep I'm not carrying you off the bus."

"I'll stay awake," KiBum yawned again. "This seat isn't _that_ comfortable. Shouldn't you be counting songs or something?" 

"I'm watching the stops, stop teasing me," Henry grumbled a little.

"Mhm," KiBum chuckled. "Seriously...thanks for inviting me here." 

"Hey, what are friends for?" Henry smirked a little. "I could kind of tell you didn't really want to go home."

"Not really," KiBum replied, glad they were still conversing in Korean and couldn't be understood by those around them. "Home hasn't been the greatest place to be these last few years, you saved me a summer of frustration." 

"Happy to be able to to help," Henry said. "You're gonna like it here, I just know it."

"Can't like it too much or I'll never go back to Korea," KiBum smirked. 

"Yeah you will," Henry rolled his eyes. "Even if things look bad now, you'll still want to see your brother at some point."

"That doesn't guarantee he'll want to see me, but thanks," KiBum wrinkled his nose. 

"No, but doesn't mean you can't try just once," Henry said, looking up. "Oh, we're almost there. Come on." Reaching over, he pressed the button to signal the driver to stop.

Sitting up, KiBum stood and held onto a pole to keep from falling over, adjusting his suitcase so he could roll it out of the back door. The bus pulled up to the sidewalk and eased to a stop, and he stepped out as the doors opened. 

"Now it's just a short walk to home," Henry step, bouncing a little as they started down the sidewalk. "Breathe in that clean, wonderful Canadian air," he said, taking in a deep breath. "Smells like home."

"You're weird," KiBum snorted. "Smells like normal air to me, I don't have a hyper-sensitive nose." 

"Well that's because you weren't fortunate enough to be born a tiger," Henry said. "I can smell the trees and flowers and..." he stopped and lifted his nose, sniffing a little. "...And a rabbit." His lips curled upwards.

"A rabbit?" KiBum blinked. "I hope you're not saying that because you're hungry or something."

" _I_ hope it's not because he's hungry." A branch snapped overhead and KiBum looked up, startled. They were walking alongside a stone wall separating the sidewalk from someone's backyard, a large tree stretching up on the other side. Someone was watching them from the branches of the tree, KiBum unable to tell if it was a guy or a girl. 

"We haven't eaten anything in hours," Henry said, looking up and grinning. "You know, rabbits don't belong in trees."

"Says who? I like it up here." The figure jumped from a branch to the top of the stone wall. KiBum saw then the rabbit was a girl, with her hair cropped short and wearing baggy clothes. She crouched down so she was more at their level. "You just got back? Who's your friend?" She was speaking in English now, despite having chimed into the conversation in Korean first. 

"This is KiBum, he was my roommate," Henry said. "KiBum, this is Amber. She's on loan from the States for the summer. You have a good year Amber?"

"Yeah, it's good to be on vacation though," Amber grinned, sitting down on the ledge. "Hey KiBum. I hope you're keeping an eye on meat buns, he gets a little turned around sometimes."

KiBum blinked repeatedly, translating that in his head. "Yeah, it was a fun year," he chuckled. 

"...I should never have taught you so much English," Henry muttered. "Come on, let's go so we can get something to eat. Otherwise I'll be having some rabbit stew in about five seconds."

Laughing, KiBum followed after Henry. "It was nice to meet you, Amber."

"You too, see you around Henry!" She waved as they continued down the sidewalk. Glancing back, KiBum saw her swing her legs around to the other side of the wall and drop down out of sight. 

"So that was Amber," Henry sighed, glancing over his shoulder. "Her and her family are the only other Signs on the block, and they're Chinese. So you can imagine our parents are best friends."

"Sounds about right," KiBum chuckled. "At least she's cute," he grinned at Henry. 

Henry couldn't help the flush on his cheeks at that, walking a little faster. "No she's not, she's just an obnoxious rabbit."

"If she's an obnoxious rabbit, why are you blushing," KiBum smirked, hurrying to catch up. 

"Am not, I'm just getting tired," Henry said. "It was a long trip, I'm tired."

"Sure, sure," KiBum teased. "How much farther?" 

"Right.... here," Henry stopped in front of a modest looking house hidden behind some evergreen trees. "Probably not as nice as your mansion. How many floors did you say it had?" he said, starting up the walk.

"Uh...four. But this is nice," KiBum smiled, following after him. "It looks...warmer. If that makes sense." 

"Not really," Henry blinked at him. " _Four_?" he pouted at KiBum as they got to the front door. "What do you even do with all that space?"

"Most of the rooms are empty, we could shave off a whole floor and not lose anything important," KiBum rolled his eyes. "The only thing it was good for was playing hide and seek as kids." 

"I could see how that would be nice," Henry nodded. Taking a deep breath, he opened the front door and stepped in. "Hello? Anyone here? I'm home!" When there wasn't a response, he pouted and moved further in. "Anybody?"

"That your friend?" A voice asked from down a hallway, one eye and half a face visible.

"Oh, it's you," Henry wrinkled his nose. "Yes, this is KiBum. KiBum, Whitney."

"Hi Whitney," KiBum smiled politely, hoping he was pronouncing that right. "Nice to meet you. You didn't tell me you had a sister," he directed that to Henry, poking his side. 

"I forget sometimes," Henry shrugged. "Where's Clint?"

"He's not here yet," Whitney said, stepping out and crossing her arms. "Mom will be home soon, she said to make sure you guys ate and had something to drink. You know where the kitchen is."

"... Come on KiBum, I think we're on our own for a minute," Henry said, dropping his bag off on a nearby couch.

Chuckling, KiBum followed Henry's lead and left his suitcase beside the couch, slipping off his shoes before progressing further into the house. He looked around curiously at everything. "It's a nice place." He tried to keep speaking in English for Whitney's sake. 

"Thanks," Henry grinned at him as they entered the kitchen. "Okay, let's see what we've got to eat," he hummed, opening the fridge and started poking around. "You haven't really had that many western foods have you?"

"Uh...not really, no. I mean we went to Australia several years ago, but it's been a long time." KiBum looked out the window into the backyard, smiling. 

"I'll have my mom make us some hamburgers then," Henry said, opening up a container to look inside. "How about some leftover carbonara?"

"...What is that?" KiBum blinked, turning away from the window to peer over Henry's shoulder. "Anything sounds good right now." 

"It's noodles and bacon, that's really all you need to know," Henry said, setting the container down and grabbing some drinks before closing the fridge. "After we eat we can sleep."

"That sounds perfect." KiBum rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Is there, uh...anything I can do?" Not that he knew where anything was. 

"Just sit, you're a guest here," Henry said, shooing him out of the way. "After a couple days when you feel more comfortable, then we'll make you do stuff."

"Okay," KiBum laughed, sitting down in a chair out of the way. "So I should enjoy it while it lasts?" 

"Exactly," Henry sighed, dishing out some of the noodle dish onto a couple of plates. "Whitney, stop being creepy," he said, not even needing to look to know his sister was waiting out in the hall and watching KiBum.

Blinking, KiBum looked from her to Henry; he hadn't even notice he was being stared at, too tired to notice much. "Uh...hi. Am I doing something wrong?" he looked to Henry in confusion. 

"Nope, she's just weird," Henry said, sticking one of the plates in the microwave. "Don't you have someone else to go annoy Whitney?"

The girl didn't reply, just stepping further into the room with her arms crossed. "So he's fully human," she said, looking at KiBum. "Mom said his family owns a fighting house back in Korean."

"Yes, don't start," Henry frowned, looking over at her. "We just got here."

KiBum shifted nervously, not really wanting to talk about this. There was little chance of it ending well. "That's right. I'm not on very good terms with my family though." He looked at Henry, not sure what to say. He'd never had a conversation even remotely like this before, used to having to explain why he saw Signs differently than other Koreans. 

"Go away Whitney," Henry said, pulling the plate out of the microwave when it went off. The girl didn't say anything, sniffing slightly as she left the room. "Sorry about her," Henry sighed. "She really didn't want me going to school in Korea."

"I can understand why," KiBum sighed, messing up his hair tiredly as he switched back to Korean. "Why _did_ you decide to go to Korea, anyways? I mean, aren't there music programs anywhere...safer?" 

"Safer, sure, but not as good," Henry said, bringing the plate over with a fork and setting it in front of KiBum. "Out of all the schools I applied to, it's the only one that accepted me."

"Thanks," KiBum's lips quirked as he picked up the fork. "I'm surprised your parents let you go." 

"My dad really didn't want me to," Henry said, leaning up against the counter. "You know I've never even been to China? He refuses to go there, same with my Mom."

"Oh...I've never been to China either, is it worse there?" KiBum frowned. 

"Yeah..." Henry took a deep breath. "All fights... they're to the death. Signs are treated like animals... kept in cages. My Dad got out, but he was lucky. Same with Amber's mom."

KiBum's eyes lowered, the human pushing the noodles around his plate slowly. "That's...disgusting. I don't know how people can live with themselves, doing that to _anyone_." He didn't bother asking if Amber's mom had been a fighter; there was really only one 'use' for a rabbit in the eyes of many slave owners. KyuJong being the very rare exception: KiBum knew HyungJoon never saw his rabbit as a bedwarmer. 

"Because people like that don't see Sign's as human," Henry said, looking away. "Imagine how they would view someone like me? Half human, half sign. I understand why my dad doesn't want me to go there, and I agree. At least... Korea at least has some protection for Signs."

"Not much." KiBum's grip tightened on the fork. "It's _stupid_. Just because you're not human doesn't mean you're less than human. I want to do something...I'm tired of my friends getting beaten and killed and everyone else thinking it's okay. Cause it's not." 

Henry sighed a little, shaking his head. "Hey, we're on vacation. Let's just... relax okay? We're here for a while, I'm sure we'll talk about this again more later. Eat, then we'll try and sleep."

"Yeah...sorry," KiBum frowned, looking down at the plate. It wouldn't be far from his mind though, seeing how Signs could live here and wondering if it would ever be that way in Korea. Would YoungSaeng ever be able to sleep peacefully at night? Would SungMin, YoungWoon and JungSu be able to pick up jobs where they were paid, where they didn't have to worry about death? Would KyuJong ever be able to go to school like they did, instead of relying on what little homeschooling he'd been able to get from their father?

Shaking his head, KiBum finally started to eat. "This is good." 

"My mom is a fantastic cook," Henry grinned. "See, she has this great trick where she calls up a restaurant, they make exactly what she orders, right down to the littlest detail. Then she goes and picks it up. It's amazing."

KiBum snorted, covering his mouth. "So no one actually cooks?" 

"Not really," Henry shrugged. "My grandma cooks when she comes to visit. Usually big traditional Chinese meals."

"Sounds nice," KiBum smiled, looking down at his plate and eating slowly. 

"Yeah..." Henry nodded, looking towards the window. "I had to miss it this year because of school. But maybe next year I can get time to fly home. You know, we could always fly back early and you can go see your brother for at least a little while. He has to miss you."

"Doubt it," KiBum shook his head. "My brother and I just...don't get along anymore. He's probably just glad I'm out of the way and he doesn't have to rag on me about anything." 

It was a conversation they had a few times already leading up to the trip. Henry had always been very close with his family, even his sister. He couldn't imagine not getting along with his older brother, or even worse, his older brother thinking he was a nuisance. "His loss then," he said, clapping a hand on KiBum's shoulder. "You're an awesome guy, and if he's more focused on being a top fighting house, then he's missing out."

Blinking, KiBum looked from the hand on his shoulder to his friend. His lips quirked into a small smile. "...Thanks. It means a lot." He'd rather stay with someone who actually wanted him around. "We were closer when we were kids...I mean, it was just us and Kyu, his rabbit...and sometimes our neighbor YunHo if he could get away from his batshit insane father. I guess things change, huh." 

"The price of growing up I guess," Henry said, giving him a small smile. "Hurry up and finish that, I'm tired and want to sleep in my own bed for once. Those dorm mattresses shouldn't even be called mattresses, it's misleading."

"I thought you were eating too, weren't you going to turn someone into rabbit stew?" KiBum chuckled, finishing off his plate. 

"I'll eat later, I was just trying to get her to away," Henry said, taking the plate to the sink and dumping it in. "Come on, I'll show you my room and where you'll be staying. Mom said Clint moved to the basement so there's an extra bed in my room you can use."

"Okay," KiBum smiled, standing and following Henry back into the living room. He picked up his suitcase to avoid rolling it along the floor. "Does the rest of your family arrive soon?" 

"No idea, I'm sure we'll get woken up by my mom when she gets home," Henry said, grabbing his backpack and starting towards a hallway off the living room. Opening up the only door on the left hand side of the hall, he moved out of the way so KiBum could join him. "I know it's small, but if we can share a dorm we can share this sardine can."

Stepping into the room, KiBum looked around the room and grinned. "What are you talking about, it's great. I guess that's your side of the room?" He pointed to the side that was decorated with various things. 

"Yup, been this side of my room my entire life," Henry nodded. "And then when I come back next year, it'll be all mine," he grinned.

"Something to look forward to," KiBum snorted. He couldn't imagine sharing a room with HyungJoon, they'd get on each other's nerves twice as fast. "Sorry for taking over half of your room." 

"Don't apologize, I'm the one that invited you," Henry rolled his eyes. "Downside is we have to share a bathroom with my sister. So, be sure to knock before you go in, just in case."

"Got it, I don't want to get my face clawed off," KiBum chuckled, setting his suitcase at the foot of the bed he'd be using for the summer. "I was curious...do you go around with your ears showing while here, or do you just stay in human form?" 

Henry frowned a little at that, sitting down. "Depends on where I am I guess. Home, I don't care. My dad is half form all the time when he's here. I know what you think, about how Signs have rights here and all... but we do face prejudices."

"Oh," KiBum looked down. "Sorry, I didn't...think about that. I guess I thought you wouldn't have those problems here...humans have a lot to work on." 

"Yeah, but it's better here than in Korea," Henry said. "I can walk down the street without fearing for my life here, but there are some older generations that treat Signs like they're servants still. Or second class citizens. I guess humans don't really think about the fact that Signs are stronger than humans, and with their element could probably kill them pretty easily."

KiBum winced. "The...collars in Korea are supposed to prevent that, which is probably why there are fewer incidents than I thought there would be. And probably why most humans don't bother thinking about it. I'd personally not want to piss _anyone_ off, whether they can turn me into barbeque or not." 

"Agreed," Henry said, flopping down on his bed. "I guess I'm just not in the habit of having my ears and tail out after being in Korea for so long. Give me a couple days and you'll see. Especially around my dad, he doesn't like it that I hide them."

"I guess I can understand that." KiBum dropped down onto his stomach on the other bed with a groan, closing his eyes. He was so tired after that flight. After a moment he cracked one eye open, smiling at Henry. "I think your ears are the coolest thing ever." 

"That's cause they are," Henry chuckled, rolling onto his side and curling up. He was asleep in seconds, mouth open and snoring softly.

Yawning, KiBum didn't even bother with the blankets; he was more than comfortable enough like this. Closing his eyes, he had a brief moment to hope Henry's parents were friendly before drifting off to sleep. 

***********************14

The chill of lingering spring had long since past and the warm days of summer were in full swing in New York City. There had been plenty of sunny days where the two had gone out to explore the park, and a few rainy days where it was nice to sit inside the hotel room and talk. The stress of working and finally shrugged off of Zhou Mi's shoulders and he was enjoying being able to wake up and plan out the day before finishing the first cup of coffee.

That didn't mean he had completely forgot about his responsibilities back home, but he tried not to think about them. Especially not when KyuHyun seemed to be enjoying his freedom here in another country. It had taken a lot of coaxing, but Zhou Mi had even persuaded KyuHyun to go out and explore by himself, get a real taste of what it was like to be free.

Though the added responsibility came with one small price. If KyuHyun went somewhere, he had to bring Zhou Mi back something. Whether it was a trinket or a delicious piece of cake or whatever Zhou Mi felt like having that day.

"KuiXian," Zhou Mi whined, flopping on the bed. "I want to take a bubble bath. Go see if the desk has any," he said with a pout.

"Huh?" KyuHyun looked up from the book he was reading, sprawled out next to the window just as he did back in Korea. Though this time the book on the floor in front of him was on the English language, because relying on Zhou Mi and the dictionaries had gotten them lost several times since arriving here. His accent was horrible, but if he could at least ask for basic directions then it was better than nothing. "Why me if you're taking the bath?" 

"Because I'm feeling lazy," Zhou Mi pouted. "Can you just do me this one small favor please? You can order dinner while you're down there too. Two birds, one stone."

"...Oh fine," KyuHyun sighed, closing the book and climbing back to his feet. If he didn't go then Zhou Mi would never stop pouting. "I don't even know how to _ask_ for bubble bath in English," he mumbled, snatching the korean-english dictionary off of the desk in the corner before heading to the door. "What for dinner?" 

"Surprise me," Zhou Mi beamed, sitting up and kicking his legs back and forth. "Thank you KuiXian. I'll owe you a favor."

"Uh-huh," KyuHyun rolled his eyes, grabbing his room key and heading out the door. Maybe he'd order pizza, since Zhou Mi seemed to like it so much.

He took the elevator down to the main lobby, taking his time in looking around. It was still weird walking around without shadowing Zhou Mi, but he was slowly becoming comfortable on his own. Even if he could feel people staring at the scars around his neck far too often for his liking.

To his relief, the Chinese girl was working at the front desk. Good, he didn't have to figure out how to say things in English. "Hey," he said in Mandarin, stopping at the counter. "Do you keep any bubble bath here?" 

Looking up from her book, the girl blinked a little at him before getting to her feet. "Bubble bath? Yes, we do," she nodded, eyes darting around. "You're alone?"

"Yeah, he was being lazy," KyuHyun rolled his eyes, leaning against the counter. 

The girl leaned forward more, her voice dropping. "My name is Song Qian, and I can help you."

"..." KyuHyun's eyes narrowed in confusion, and he glanced around to see they were alone. "What do you mean, help me," he asked lowly. 

"I have friends, they help people like us, like you," the girl said. "We can get you away from him, free you from being a slave."

The snake stared at her in surprise. Free him from slavery? "How? I'm still..." He automatically reached up to touch his neck, but his collar wasn't there. Hadn't been since the first day here. "He has all my paperwork, everything." 

"You don't need it," she shook her head. "We can set you up with a life here, a real life. He'll never find you." She quieted down when a couple walked by the desk, looking down. "Meet me in the parking garage at midnight. That's when my shift ends."

KyuHyun memorized that, nodding slowly. Could he really...be free? It was something he'd never really thought about before coming here, believing it an unattainable dream. "I'll be there," he murmured. 

"Good... I'll get that bubble bath for you," she said, turning to a storage closet and disappearing inside. She returned with the bottle and handed it to him. "Don't be late."

"Thanks," KyuHyun took the bottle. "He also wants me to order some pizza. These 'friends', they helped you?" 

"What kind of pizza?" she asked, pulling out a pad of paper and a pen. "They did, they've helped hundreds of Signs who have come here with their masters."

The snake nodded slowly, thinking about that. "Uh...all dressed." Zhou Mi had liked that last time. "Why have I never heard of this before?" 

"How could you?" Qian asked, looking up at him. "Would your master have brought you here if he knew? And if he did know, would he have told you? Signs go missing all the time, the owners don't take the time to look for them, they just get a new one."

Would Zhou Mi just get another slave once he was gone? KyuHyun's brow furrowed slightly and he nodded. "Okay. Thanks." He turned and headed back towards the elevator, not sure what to think. The idea that he could be free was overwhelming.

Finally he got back to the suite, unlocked the door and stepping in. "Here's your bubble bath." 

"Oh, thank you," Zhou Mi hopped to his feet and crossed the room to meet KyuHyun. "Thank you KuiXian, I appreciate it. You ordered food too yes?" He blinked at the snake's expression. "Something wrong?"

"Hm?" KyuHyun blinked repeatedly, shaking his head. "No. I ordered pizza, it'll be here by the time you're done your bath." He held out the small bottle to the human. 

"Okay," Zhou Mi said, accepting the bottle. "I'll leave enough for you, if you want to take a bath later."

The snake nodded, distracted by what Qian had told him. "Okay, thanks." Slipping off his shoes, he headed back towards the window and the book he'd been reading. 

Zhou Mi watched him, brows furrowed. Something was trouble KyuHyun, that much was obvious. Zhou Mi wondered if he had done something wrong, but couldn't think of anything. Besides the pouting and demands for KyuHyun to get him things... but that wasn't anything new. Sighing a little, Zhou Mi disappeared into the bathroom and ran his bath. If KyuHyun wanted to talk about it later he would. At least he hoped KyuHyun would.

Emerging from the bathroom freshly washed a good forty five minutes later. Wrapped up in the complimentary fuzzy robe and hair twisted up into a towel, he sighed happily and draped himself onto a chair. "I love baths."

KyuHyun had moved from the window to the couch by then; the sun was behind the skyscrapers, and the warm spot by the glass was gone. He looked up from the book he'd been trying to read, but hadn't really been able to focus on. "You turn into a prune yet?" 

"A happy prune," Zhou Mi grinned, holding up his fingers and wiggling them a little. "A small price to pay for being absolutely relaxed."

The other man shook his head, looking back down at his book. "You rarely took baths back in the apartment." 

"That's because I didn't have any good bubble bath," Zhou Mi said. "There's something about a vacation that just demands taking one good long bath. Especially in a tub with massage jets. You should try it."

"Maybe," KyuHyun shrugged. He looked up when there was a knock on the door. "Probably the food." Standing, he walked to the door.

He returned with the box of pizza, setting it on a table and going to get two plates. 

"Is everything okay?" Zhou Mi asked, following over to the table and sitting down.

"Yeah," KyuHyun glanced at Zhou Mi before looking away, placing the plates down and opening the box to give them each a couple slices. "Was this the kind you like?" 

"I'm not picky," Zhou Mi said, taking a bite. He ate in silence for a moment before sighing. "Did I do something wrong KuiXian? If I did, please tell me so I can fix it."

KyuHyun frowned slightly. "You didn't do anything wrong. I'm...I was just thinking, it's nothing." He picked off the toppings from the pizza, eating them slowly. 

"Thinking about what?" Zhou Mi asked. "Whatever it is, it seems to be bother you so it can't be nothing. You still don't trust me enough to talk to me do you."

The snake's lips thinned and he looked towards the window. "I just don't see a point to talking about it. I was wondering that...if I'd died in the arena that day, what kind of Sign you'd buy to replace me." 

Eyes widening at the question, Zhou Mi pushed the plate away. "KuiXian, if you had died in the arena... which is not something I ever want to think about again... I would never have considered purchasing another slave. _No one_ can replace you. Ever."

KyuHyun glanced at him. "I am replaceable though. There'll always be other snakes. Just like that dog was replaceable, easily. Less than five minutes after he died he was replaced." 

Wincing slightly at that, Zhou Mi looked down at the table. "There may be other snakes, but there's only one KuiXian. As far as the dog is concerned, he can never truly be replaced either. He was a life that was taken unfairly, and that's something I hope to change."

"How? The games need a referee," KyuHyun looked down at his pizza, picking at it absently. "And you know they'll never send a human down there." 

"The games need a referee, but we can make sure that they aren't put in danger," Zhou Mi said. "It's bad enough the fighters are killed, and one day I hope that's put to an end." Shifting a little, he sat up straighter in his chair. "Before the next season starts, I'm going to make sure the referees are kept safe from harm. By designing arenas that gives the referee a place to be without getting in the way, or giving them a private box for the first tiers... anything to make sure they are not another casualty."

Blinking at Zhou Mi in surprise, KyuHyun wasn't sure what to make of that. "The Gaming Commission will go for an idea like that? I always thought they viewed the referee running for his life as half the fun." 

"They'll go for it because I'm presenting to them an alternative to buying another slave year after year," Zhou Mi said. "That costs a lot of money, plus the training involved. Put in a referee who can interact with the crowd, make the crowd love whoever it is to keep people interested even if the match is over too quickly."

"The crowd, love a Sign?" KyuHyun shook his head. "You think that'll work out?" 

"I have to think it will, otherwise I'll never convince the commissioner to do it," Zhou Mi said. "And I'd have to find the perfect sign to do it, one that anyone would like. It may seem a small thing, but it's a start, right?"

Looking down at his food, KyuHyun nodded. "Yeah...it's a start." Zhou Mi was really serious about this. He wanted to make a difference to those who lived in the arena. "At least it would mean one less death." 

"And from there, we can do more," Zhou Mi said. "I'm so close to becoming commissioner, that's when I can really make a difference. If you're still with me in this. If you're not, then we'll find another way."

KyuHyun ignored the guilty twinge. "I don't want to think about it right now." 

"...You're right, I'm sorry," Zhou Mi nodded, pulling his plate back closer and beginning to eat again. "We won't think about such horrible things until absolutely necessary, or ever again if you don't want to."

"You mean that?" The snake watched Zhou Mi's expression, brow furrowed slightly. 

"Of course," Zhou Mi said, looking back up at him again. "Your comfort is more important to me than anything else."

Meeting Zhou Mi's eyes for a long moment, KyuHyun looked away finally. The corners of his lips quirked slightly. "...What do you want to do tonight? Just relax?" 

"Relaxing sounds wonderful," Zhou Mi nodded, glancing towards the window. "I was hoping one of these days we could go down and check out a show on broadway, but I'm not going anywhere in the rain."

KyuHyun followed Zhou Mi's gaze to the window. "Well...we can go see something when it clears up," he said after a pause. 

"I'd like that," Zhou Mi said, smiling a little. "As long as you want to. I merely suggest it as something to do. This is still your vacation and you can do whatever you want."

"I've never seen a show before," KyuHyun shrugged. "Why not. We're not going to understand a word of it though." 

"So? It's still an experience," Zhou Mi said. "And I thought you were studying english, you know more than I do at this point."

"Not enough to understand a play," KyuHyun snorted, glancing at Zhou Mi. "I'm not _that_ quick." 

"Then we can find one that doesn't have any words, or just enjoy the music and the bright lights," Zhou Mi said, resting his chin in one hand, food forgotten. "I'm proud of you, you know. First you learn Mandarin, and then you go on and try to tackle another language. I'm so proud of your progress."

KyuHyun blinked in confusion at both Zhou Mi's words and the expression on his face. "Uh...thanks? What progress?" 

"When you first came to live with me, you'd stand around staring at me, waiting for me to tell you what to do," Zhou Mi said. "Now you jump at the chance to do something that _you_ want to do. You don't wait on me, you have your own opinions on everything... I'm just so proud of you."

Not sure what to say to that, KyuHyun looked around awkwardly. "Well...I guess that would be because of you," he shrugged, rubbing the back of his head. As soon as he said that, he realized it was true. He wouldn't be anything like he was now without Zhou Mi. 

"I won't take credit for all that you have accomplished," Zhou Mi said, shaking his head. "I may have pointed you in the right direction, but it was your choice to be your own person and do what you wanted to do. I couldn't make you do those things, think for yourself."

"That doesn't mean I'd be this with anyone else," KyuHyun rolled his eyes. "You don't have to be modest all the time." He put his chin down on the table, feeling tired. 

"I'm not being modest," Zhou Mi blinked. "KuiXian... you know why I bought you from the breeding house, right? You were to help with my thesis, that a Sign could be his own individual self if given the proper encouragement. That's all I did, was encourage you."

KyuHyun smirked a little. "I hope I at least got you a decent grade. You never told me how you did on that thesis." 

"I graduated didn't I? And landed myself a teaching job," Zhou Mi with a small smile. "I did very well, and even had it published. The reaction to the paper didn't go as well as I would have liked, but I have had a few letters that spoke of how I changed their look on Sign relations."

"I'd say you're doing good as a teacher too," KyuHyun murmured. "You had a couple more students stick it out the whole term than the last two semesters." 

"I did, and only one of those was there because they needed one final credit to graduate," Zhou Mi chuckled. "It's going to take time for that part of..." he stopped and frowned, shaking his head. "No, we weren't going to talk about any of that. You look tired, shall we go to sleep?"

"Sure," KyuHyun straightened, rubbing his eyes and glancing at the clock absently. It was still a few more hours until midnight...Zhou Mi would be asleep by then. "Are you even tired?" 

"I am actually," Zhou Mi nodded, getting to his feet and gathering up the plates. "The bath relaxed me almost a bit too much. Tomorrow we can do something fun, get out of the hotel room. Maybe go to the museum?"

KyuHyun forced his expression to stay the same. "Sure. See a bunch of old things, sounds fun," he drawled lazily, standing and closing up the box of leftover pizza. Walking into the small kitchenette, he placed the box in the fridge for tomorrow. 

"Well if you don't want to go to a history museum, there's always the art museum or the science museum," Zhou Mi said, setting the plates in the sink to be washed later. "Or there's the library."

"Science museum?" KyuHyun's curiosity was piqued at that, glancing back at Zhou Mi. 

"Just a suggestion," Zhou Mi chuckled. "We can decide in the morning and make our plans, okay?"

"Okay," KyuHyun nodded. He turned towards the windows, walking up to the glass to look out at the vast city. It was quite the sight at night, with all the signs lit up around them. Looking out for a minute, he reached out and closed the curtains. 

Zhou Mi changed and got ready for bed, sliding under the covers and curling up. "I didn't figure you for being interested in science," he said, looking over at KyuHyun. "You surprise me every day."

KyuHyun shrugged, changing. "It's this mysterious thing I hear all the university students whining about, maybe I just want to see what all the fuss is." 

"I guess we'll see then," Zhou Mi smiled, closing his eyes. "And if there's anywhere else you want to go, we can go. I like being able to spend this time with you KuiXian."

The snake stilled, looking down at the human in the bed. With Zhou Mi's eyes closed, he just took a moment to look over the other man's face and form, torn between the idea of finally being free and the suppressed realization that he didn't really want to leave Zhou Mi. "I like it too." He finally climbed into the bed, settling down. "Night Mi." 

"Night KuiXian," Zhou Mi hummed, already drifting into sleep. He was snoring moments later, his legs uncurling slightly as he rolled closer to KyuHyun.

KyuHyun didn't even try to catch some sleep, watching Zhou Mi as his vision adjusted to the dark. He could feel the human's warmth a mere foot away; being cold-blooded Signs meant snakes craved warmth, and as much as KyuHyun wanted his space, he also couldn't help wanting to move closer just then. Even the soft snoring he always teased Mi about was welcoming, a small smile curling his lips.

Midnight came quickly, and with it, KyuHyun had made up his mind. Making sure Zhou Mi was fast asleep, the snake carefully eased out of the bed. He slipped on the clothes he'd placed nearby, grabbing his shoes and the room key before leaving the room.

It didn't take long to locate the parking garage, his self-taught English paying off as he arrived just as a nearby clock struck midnight. Shivering in the cool air, KyuHyun wrapped his arms around himself and looked around for Qian. 

Not far from where he was standing, a shadow detached from around the corner, the girl looking around as she waved him closer. "I wasn't sure if you would be able to get away," Qian said in Mandarin. "We have to hurry, they're going to meet us not far from here."

KyuHyun drew in a breath, straightening as he approached her. "Thanks for this," he replied in the same language. "But I'm not going with you. I'm going to stay with him." 

Her eyes narrowed slightly and she took a slight step back. "Why... did you tell him? Is he threatening you? We can protect you."

"No, he doesn't know," KyuHyun replied. "He's trying to help people like us, fighting for our rights...and he needs my help to do it. I don't need protection from him." 

"He's Chinese, Chinese humans don't help people like us," Qian said. "If you ever tell anyone about this, you'll be putting thousands of Signs at risk. Don't betray us."

"This Chinese human is helping us," KyuHyun said. "I won't say a word about this...good luck." He turned to head back inside.

He thought about that all the way back up to the room, wondering if he should be more conflicted than this now that he'd given up what could possibly be the only chance for freedom he'd ever have. But he felt relieved more than anything. Relieved he'd finally made up his mind.

Reaching the room, he unlocked the door and opened it slowly. 

"Where did you go?" Zhou Mi was sitting up in bed, the bedside lamp on and a panicked look on the human's face. "I woke up and you weren't here... I thought you had left."

Freezing, KyuHyun sighed and stepped in, closing the door behind him. "I thought I heard something out in the hallway. Sorry." He kicked off his shoes. 

Zhou Mi frowned at that, watching him. "I've been awake for ten minutes KuiXian," he said, throwing back the covers and getting to his feet. "What's going on? I know you, you're keeping something from me... what is it? Please tell me."

He'd promised Qian not to say anything, which meant it was time to think up something fast. "It's nothing," KyuHyun messed up his hair, walking back to the bed and the other man. "I had a bad dream, woke up and was hearing things. Nothing to worry about." 

That obviously wasn't the truth, Zhou Mi knew full well when KyuHyun was lying to him. Sighing a little, he sat back down and rubbed at his forehead. "You still don't trust me, do you?" he asked quietly.

KyuHyun looked at the human, how sad he looked. He'd seen more sadness in Zhou Mi's face than he ever wanted to see. What was he supposed to say?

"I'm...getting there," he said finally, stopping in front of Zhou Mi. 

Zhou Mi looked up at him, trying a smile but it wasn't working. "I love you KuiXian... and one day I hope we can be at the point again where we trust each other, and don't keep things from each other. Until then, I'll accept what you say, but I'll worry."

"You're going to wrinkle if you worry so much," KyuHyun smiled sadly. "Like an old man." He stepped forward between Zhou Mi's legs, leaning down to brush his lips lightly against the other man's. 

Not able to protest being called an old man, Zhou Mi's eyes slipped closed at the kiss, returning it just as softly. When he pulled back, his warm smile had returned. "I won't wrinkle, I moisturize."

KyuHyun's fingers lightly touched Zhou Mi's jaw. "Moisturize too much and you'll turn into a prune. Like when you sit in the bath too long." He slipped around Zhou Mi to climb back onto the bed. "Come on, let's go back to sleep. We're going to look at old stuff bright and early tomorrow." 

"Sounds fun," Zhou Mi smiled, scooting back up to his side of the bed and sliding under the covers. "No more sneaking off in the middle of the night? It scares me," he said, reaching over to turn out the light. "If... you ever wanted to leave, you could just tell me."

"I'm not going anywhere," KyuHyun replied as the light switched off. Before Zhou Mi could make himself too comfortable, the snake reached out and wrapped one arm around the other man's waist, pulling him closer. 

That startled Zhou Mi a little, but he didn't fight it. He was all too happy to snuggle into KyuHyun again, having missed being able to be close to him. "Good, I'd miss you too much," he said softly, looking at him in the near darkness.

KyuHyun's lips quirked a little. "I'd miss you too. Now stop being all sappy." He settled against Zhou Mi, soaking in the human's warmth. 

"You like it," Zhou Mi chuckled, closing his eyes and sighing happily. His arm went around KyuHyun's shoulder and he made a small sound of contentment as he slipped back into sleep. Hopefully, this was progress.

************************************15

"...What's going on exactly?" KiBum asked Henry in confusion, watched the rest of his family bustling around the house. From what he'd gathered it was rare for all family members to be both present _and_ awake in the morning, KiBum fitting himself into a corner so he wouldn't accidentally trip someone.

It was halfway through summer, and the time was passing too fast for KiBum. Henry's family did their best to make him feel at home, and he soaked up the positivity that always seemed to be present. Sure Henry's father didn't speak with him that often and looked wary more than anything, but KiBum would take what he could get. It wasn't as if he could fault the tiger for being suspicious: KiBum was from a fighting house after all. 

"We're going to the parade," Henry blinked at him. "You know, for... oh," he stopped and smacked himself in the forehead. "No, you wouldn't know. It's Liberation Day."

"Liberation Day?" KiBum felt like a bit of an idiot, Henry's tone indicating he should know what that was. "Can I ask the very stupid question of what that is?" 

"It's not a stupid question," Whitney had stopped nearby. "It's probably the most important day _ever_."

"Not now Whitney," Henry scowled at his sister. "You're not being helpful."

"Not my fault he doesn't know basic history," Whitney shrugged. She squeaked and ran out of the room when Henry feinted a lunge towards her, teeth bared and ears back. " _Mom_!"

"God, sorry," Henry called after her before turning back to KiBum. "Right, Liberation Day. It was the day all the Signs were given their freedom and attained equal rights. It's kind of important."

"Oh...I can see why, now that I know what it is," KiBum shook his head. "We didn't, uh...learn about it in Korea. But that's cool, we're all going downtown? You go to the parade every year?" 

"Every year," Henry nodded. "There's a big festival too... Signs kind of have their own culture here, and this is one of the few times we actually get to be really proud of it. I think you'll learn a lot about us today."

KiBum grinned at that, nodding along. "Can't wait." He blinked when the doorbell went off on the other side of the house. "Who's that?" 

"Probably a rabbit," Henry said, lifting his nose to sniff the air. "Yup, it's Amber and her parents. We always go together."

"If you get hungry, don't try to turn her into stew during the parade, I don't think it'll go over well," KiBum teased, poking Henry's nose. 

"She's too stringy," Henry wrinkled his nose, swatting at KiBum's hand. "Come on, we're probably going to head out now." Heading out of the room, they went down the hall to the living room where there were far too many people standing around talking loudly.

"There you both are, we're just about to go," Henry's mom said when she spotted them.

"Hey!" Amber squeezed out from in between her mother and father to stop beside them. "Excited? This is KiBum's first time at the parade huh?" In all the times they'd ran into her over the summer, KiBum had yet to see any sign of Amber's rabbit ears or tail. She seemed to prefer staying in human form all the time, though both her parents were in their half forms. 

"Yeah, I was just telling him about it, he's excited," Henry nodded. "Let's go before we get stuck with the slow pokes." He motioned for Amber to go out the door. "We're gonna walk Mom, we'll see you there."

The three headed out the door, KiBum breathing a sigh of relief to be away from the crush of people. "Oh, you think in there was bad?" Amber asked, looking at him in amusement. "Wait until we get downtown." She headed towards the street, hands linked behind her head. "How much longer are you both here?" 

"Another three weeks I think?" Henry said, looking to KiBum. "Maybe four, not sure. I've kind of lost track of the date. You?"

"Four weeks," KiBum confirmed.

"I go back a few days after you then, don't have quite so far to travel," Amber chuckled, looking back at them. "Maybe I should go visit you at some point. See what all the fuss is about." 

Henry's lips quirked a little at that, but his eyes dimmed. "I don't know... it's actually kind of really depressing there sometimes. I wouldn't recommend it for a vacation place."

KiBum looked at Henry sadly. He could see why Henry would think that way. "It'll get better one day," he said quietly. "Maybe in a few years there'll be a Liberation Day parade in Korea too."

"That's something to look forward to," Amber nodded. "Though it still wouldn't be as cool as the parade here." 

"Of course not, this is where it started," Henry said. "Right here in this city, Signs earned their freedom."

"Are they going to mind a human's celebrating with you?" KiBum asked, blinking. He didn't want to assume and mess up this important day.

"No, why would they? There's never a huge amount, but there's always a number of humans in the parade and along the streets," Amber shrugged, falling back to walk on Henry's other side. 

"Yeah, humans like my mom, who married Signs," Henry said. "Or even humans who just want to support us."

Nodding in understanding, KiBum smiled at that. He knew he couldn't be the only human who saw Signs as people just like them, but he'd never met any besides Professor Zhou Mi. His brother and YunHo respected Signs, but they were in the fighting industry after all; respect didn't extend to keeping them out of the deadly ring.

They arrived at the bus stop that would take them to the nearest subway downtown. Amber stretched out her arms, looking at Henry with a smile. "So what are you doing before you go back? Got anything planned?" 

"Uhh.. not really?" Henry shrugged.

"Let's go to Niagara Falls for a few days," Amber grinned. "As much as I like being home, my parents are going to drive me crazy if I don't get out of the house for a bit." 

Henry wrinkled his nose a little at that. "The falls are boring. I haven't been there since I was a kid."

"Oh, right, you just don't like getting your fur wet," Amber grinned, playfully tweaking one of the half-tiger's ears. KiBum laughed at that. 

"And you only like it because you go all gooey eyed at the sight of that much water," Henry sniffed, swatting at her hand. "Should dump you in the middle of the river."

"Ew no, the river here is all gross," Amber wrinkled her nose. "I don't want to smell like garbage." 

"Too late," Henry said before taking off at a run.

"Hey!" Amber yelled, chasing after him as KiBum burst out laughing. He had no hope in keeping up with a half-tiger and a rabbit, so he just stayed at the bus stop, watching as Amber caught up two houses down and jumped on Henry's back. 

Henry stumbled, but managed to stay upright with the added weight of Amber on his back. "Get off me you stinky rabbit!" he whined, but made sure she wasn't going to fall off as he turned around to head back to the bus stop.

"I am not stinky, you hair-ball coughing machine," she retorted, arms loosely around Henry's neck without choking him. 

"Since when have I ever coughed up a hairball?" Henry made a face at that. "If I ever do though, I'll make sure to cough it up in your shoe."

"Do that and I'll douse you in water," Amber smiled. " _Really_ cold water."

"Should I leave you two alone?" KiBum asked Henry in Korean with a wide grin; they'd already established Amber's Korean didn't extend far beyond the very basics. 

"...Watch it, or I'm leaving you somewhere in the middle of downtown," Henry replied in Korean before switching back to English. "Okay, rabbit, you have two legs, use them," he huffed, letting Amber go so she could walk on her own.

"But you were doing such a good job," Amber chuckled, sliding back to the ground and stepping back as the bus arrived. They all piled on, Amber peering out the window as they found seats and the bus pulled away from the curb. "I think our parents are still yacking," she looked back at Henry. 

"Of course they are," Henry rolled his eyes. "They'll just end up driving down there if they miss the last bus. Like they do every time. Taking the bus down is a lot funner, and less of a headache with so much traffic."

"And less of a headache away not being crammed into a car with all them," Amber smiled, dropping into a seat and stretching out her arms.

Looking around the bus, KiBum saw there weren't many people, just them and a loud group near the back. Nearly all of those there had visible Sign features, the girl closest to them sporting a wagging dog tail. "You weren't kidding about this being a big thing," KiBum glanced at Henry. 

Henry looked back to where KiBum had been looking. "Yeah... you haven't really seen anything yet," he chuckled. "Whole streets of the city are going to be blocked off for this, and not just for the parade. But the shops and food stalls too, it's fantastic."

"Oh cool," KiBum grinned, already excited. He looked at Amber. "You don't take half-form too?" All the other Signs he could see (those he recognized to be Signs anyways) were all in their half-forms.

"I might," Amber shrugged. "It's not like other Signs can't tell what I am, and I don't really want to deal with idiots trying to grab my tail today." 

Henry looked slightly uncomfortable, hunkering down in his seat. He switched to Korean, looking at KiBum. "You know what rabbits are bought for in Korea, some humans act like rabbits here are still for that purpose."

"...Oh," KiBum's expression fell. He hadn't considered that.

"You know just because I don't understand Korean doesn't mean I don't know you're talking about me. Especially when you taught me how to say 'rabbit'." Amber poked Henry's side. 

Henry flinched a little at that, pouting at her. "I'm not talking about _you_ specifically," he replied. "Just... talking about rabbits in general. I'm trying to be nice here okay?"

"He's from Korea, I'm sure he gets it." Amber smiled at Henry, KiBum getting the distinct feeling he was a third wheel again. "Besides, rabbits _here_ can and will kick ass if we have to." 

"I know that, believe me, I know," Henry said, shaking his head. "You see what I grew up with KiBum? She's worse than Whitney sometimes. I don't know why I put up with it."

"Because no one else will put up with _you_ , jerk," Amber sniffed, turning away from them to look out the window. KiBum was snickering quietly behind his hand, giving Henry a pointed look. 

"Hey, I'm not a jerk," Henry grumbled, ignoring the look from KiBum. "Never inviting you here again KiBum, you're totally against me."

"I'm not against anyone, I'm just sitting here being the...I don't know how you say 'third wheel' in English," KiBum grinned cheekily, of course saying 'third wheel' in Korean. 

"And I'm not about to teach you," Henry replied in Korean, glaring at him. "You're just not going to give up on that are you?"

"I'd stop if you'd quit being in denial," KiBum smiled widely at his best friend as he replied in the same language. 

"I'm not in denial, you're just making things up," Henry sniffed, crossing his arms. "If you don't quit it, I'm going to tell her that _you_ have a crush on her."

"Like she'd believe that," KiBum blinked, not believing that Henry would do that. 

"No? Let's see," Henry turned to Amber, poking her in the arm. "KiBum's got a crush on you."

KiBum squawked at that, objecting loudly. Amber blinked at Henry in confusion, looking between the two guys. "Oh, so you're not together?" She asked innocently. 

"...." Henry opened his mouth, sputtering. "What? _What_? No, ew. He's my best friend," he shuddered. "Why would you even think that?"

"Whitney." Amber grinned cheekily at him. 

"What about her?" Henry's eyes narrowed. "What has she been saying? I'm going to strangle her by her own tail."

"Oh look, we're here!" Amber dodged the question by hopping to her feet and going to the front of the bus as they pulled up in front of the subway station.

"Your little sister's slightly scary," KiBum blinked at Henry. 

"Also? Dead," Henry said, getting up as well. "Amber, wait, what was she saying?" he said, following after the rabbit. "We're not together, he's not my type."

KiBum trailed after the two as the bus stopped, Amber leading the way off the bus and into the station. "Oh, just that you two seemed really close, among other things," she chuckled, looking over her shoulder at Henry. "What's your type then?" 

"Of course we're close, we're friends," Henry said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I don't really... I mean I have a type... but... I..." he sighed and shook his head. "Nevermind."

"You're strange," Amber shook her head, hopping onto the escalator heading down to subway level. 

"So?" Henry followed after her. "You seem to like hanging around me if I'm so strange."

"I didn't say strange in a bad way," she smiled widely at him. When they reached the bottom of the escalator, she fit herself between both men and hooked her arms with theirs. "Come on, we have to show KiBum that awesome crêpe stall on King street!" 

"He has to see the parade first," Henry said. "Parade, then food, then music. In that order."

"What if there's music in the parade?" Amber grinned. "Does that mean we have to start all over?" 

"...I still can make good on that river threat," Henry said, nudging her in the ribs with his elbow. "Who invited you anyway?"

"You did," the rabbit laughed, yelping at the poke in the ribs. "Or your parents, same thing."

"I think you're just too easy to tease, Henry," KiBum shook his head. 

"I'm not talking to either one of you for the rest of the day," Henry grumbled.

Finally they arrived downtown twenty minutes later, climbing the stairs out of the subway station and stepping into chaos. Loud music was everywhere, the street cordoned off so people would stay on the sidewalk.

Looking around with wide eyes, KiBum noted almost everyone on the street was visibly a Sign. Dogs, boars and oxen mingled, though some Signs seemed to prefer keeping to their own kind (a group of rabbits seemed to be trying to stay as far away from a clutch of snakes as possible). There was even a few dragons roaming around, one of them wearing a volunteer shirt and making sure the crowd stayed off the street for when the parade came by. 

"It's almost time for the parade to start, we should find a good spot," Henry said, raising his voice a little as he pushed through the crowd. "Maybe we can find Clint, he's down here somewhere."

"Good luck in this crowd," Amber laughed, sniffing the air as they made their way along the sideway. "No use, there's too many people here," she sneezed when a bit of stray fur drifted past her nose.

"Can we get over there?" KiBum pointed at a raised platform a statue rested on by the corner, the platform large enough for them to stand on comfortably and see over the sea of people. 

"Sure, come on," Henry said, taking Amber's hand to keep her close. "Just follow behind me, I'll get us there."

KiBum shook his head in amusement, following after them through the crowd. After getting jostled around for a bit, they finally reached the statue. Amber hopped up onto the platform easily, not letting go of Henry's hand. "The view's much better up here!" 

"You picked a good spot KiBum," Henry said, nodding towards the statue towering over them. "Meet Seo TeoJi, leader of the resistance movement."

"...Who?" KiBum blinked, climbing onto the platform next to them and looking up at the grand statue.

"It's thanks to him parades like this are even happening," Amber grinned, looking around the area. "If the resistance hadn't been formed, I doubt any of us would be free right now." 

"He's a hero," Henry said. "He was also Korean, a fighter. He was brought here for a huge international tournament. He won, was given his freedom, and then organized all of the Signs in North America. I've looked up to him my entire life, wanted to be as awesome as he was." He looked at KiBum with a grin. "He was a tiger too."

"Why am I not surprised," KiBum chuckled, smiling back at Henry. "How did...you know, how did he organize all the Signs and get their freedom? It must have not been very easy." 

"It wasn't," Henry shook his head. "But it wasn't like Spartacus or anything, started a rebellion. He just talked. He talked to politicians and lawmakers, regular people too. It took years, but he managed to do it without any blood being spilled. That was his goal."

"That's...kinda amazing," KiBum said quietly, looking up at the statue again. To be able to change so many opinions about Signs, enough to give a whole continent of slaves their freedom...it was inspiring.

"We need more people like him," Amber stretched out her arms. "And more people who would actually listen to people like him." 

"It'll get there," Henry said, smiling up at the statue again. "I know he would have liked to see at least see his home country free Signs in his lifetime, I just hope it doesn't take another fifty years."

"I can agree with that," KiBum nodded, brow furrowed. If just talking could start a chain reaction...maybe that Sign Relations professor had been on to something.

"It's starting!" Amber brightened, pointing down another street where the sound of music was approaching. 

"The beginning is the best," Henry said, bouncing a little. "Wait, no, the tiger section is the best, with all the acrobatics, but the beginning is second best."

"You're just biased," Amber tweaked one of Henry's ears. "The rabbits are the best, of course, tigers can't hope to jump that high." 

"Rabbits don't have the flair that tigers do," Henry retorted, hissing at the tweak. "See, she does that on purpose and then doesn't have _her_ ears out so I can retaliate."

"You'd have to catch me first, and I don't think KiBum would like it if we lost him in this crowd," Amber chuckled, KiBum rolling his eyes in amusement. They didn't have much chance to continue talking, the volume of the crowd raising as the beginning of the parade came into view.

"Oh wow," KiBum's eyes widened at the display of elements, a swirling mass of water suspended far above their heads and being manipulated by two boars. 

"That's just the start," Henry said, looking up as a fount of water at the top sprayed out, the water droplets descending and crystallizing into snow flakes that drifted down onto the crowd. People cheered, children trying to catch the snowflakes with their tongues. "Wood element is next," Henry said when the boars passed. Two rabbits were coming behind them, throwing seeds into the crowd, the seeds exploding into blooms when they reached their peak. 

Grinning widely, KiBum leaned back as a blossom drifted past his nose. A sweet scent filled the air, calming, the human inhaling deeply.

Amber tried to catch a bloom and missed, sulking a little. "Damn." 

Henry on the other hand, had jumped up to hang off the statues arm, grabbing a couple of the blooms before dropping back down. "Here," he grinned, handing them to Amber. "You miss catching them every year, need to be quicker."

Amber's face lit up. "The wind messed me up. Thanks." She held onto the blooms as the rabbits went past.

A dragon and ox followed after them, carrying flaming torches high above their heads. The fire roared high above the parade in controlled columns, forming changing patterns. The ox tossed in a powder that changed the color of the fire with each pass, the dragon renewing the flames. 

"Fire's the best one," Henry said, puffing out his chest and letting out a whoop when a ball of fire exploded above their heads. "I wonder what they're going to do for metal this year," he mused, craning his neck to try and see what was coming behind the ox and dragon. His eyes widened at what he saw, pushing at KiBum's shoulder and pointing.

Two tigers were suspended in mid air, arms outstretched to nearly touching the giant metal rings that were rolling down the street. The rings were positioned like giant gyroscopes, rolling back and forth down the street but never in danger of falling as the tigers had complete control of the rings.

"Oh wow," KiBum wasn't sure if he could grin much wider than he already was, completely caught up in the parade. He cheered loudly along with the rest of the crowd as the giant metal rings drew nearer. There was almost a humming noise as they passed by.

"Last one!" Amber's rabbit ears suddenly popped out, twitching as she listened and turned eagerly to see what was coming next. Wondering what had caught her attention, KiBum continued to watch the rings in amazement until he felt the ground tremble under heavy footsteps.

Turning to see what would represent the earth element, KiBum saw two massive stone statues taking the corner, easily fifteen feet high each. One statue was almost identical to the one of Seo TeoJi right behind them, the other someone KiBum assumed was also important to the resistance movement. A dog rode on each statue's shoulder, keeping the legs moving and lifting their arms to wave to the crowd. 

"When I was little and they did the statues, it freaked me out," Henry said, eyeing the statues as they passed. "They still kind of freak me out a little. Oh, now it's time for the different signs. Rats are always first."

Chuckling as he watched the giant statues disappear around the corner, KiBum turned to watch the rats approach. He already knew each Sign had their own specialties, but this was the first time he was really seeing it out of the context of a training house, in an environment where Signs could show off instead of worrying about staying alive.

He watched the rats travel by, followed by boars and the rabbits. Rabbits weren't as acrobatic as tigers, but KiBum couldn't help but shout in surprise when one was boosted high up into the air, powerful legs carrying him up into a series of tumbles before dropping back into a controlled landing. Beside Henry, Amber was almost giddy as she watched them go. 

"Most of the Signs are boring," Henry said, resting his arm on Amber's shoulder and leaning against her, watching the roosters and hens scurry by, followed by goats and monkeys who were doing sommersaults. The horses did a good job of playing up the crowd, some in half form and some in full, prancing and high stepping along the street. "Hey Amber, look," Henry grinned and pointed to just after the horses where the street looked like it was writhing. "Your favorite part, the snakes!"

Amber took one look at the hundreds of snakes slithering across the ground and nearly jumped on Henry's back to get away. "They are _not_ my favorite part!" She protested loudly. "Why do they _always_ have to do this!"

KiBum shook his head; no rabbit seemed to get along with snakes, especially not in their full forms. 

"Because it looks cool," Henry laughed, putting his arm around her waist and holding her in place. Some of the other people in the crowd were having the same reaction as Amber, the smaller signs scooting away from the edge of the street.

"It does look cool," KiBum grinned, leaning up on his toes so he could see the street properly.

"I hate you all," Amber grumbled, not detaching herself from Henry even when the snakes had passed.

The space after the snakes was empty, and KiBum blinked in confusion. "...Aren't we still missing some?" He asked before a sudden gust of wind nearly knocked him right off the statue.

At least five half-form dragons divebombed the crowd, pulling up at the last moment and breaking away in tight flying formations. The dragons all had different scale colors: red for fire, blue for water, green for wood, copper for earth and chrome for metal. 

"Show offs!" Henry shouted as the red dragon flew over head, his tail twitching a little. He had to admit it was cool though, watching the dragons do mid air tricks. They weren't even clear when the rumbling started, Henry grabbing onto the statue to keep himself and Amber upright. The crowd at the street backed up as a stampede of oxen came through on the dragon's tails. Henry couldn't even count how many there were, some in half form, but most in full oxen form.

"They're going to trample the snakes," KiBum blinked, laughing in astonishment as he held onto the statue as well. As loud as the cheering of the crowd was at this point, he could barely hear over the stampeding.

"They won't, they do this often," Amber called over the noise, bouncing up and down. She looked up at Henry with a grin. "They left the tigers for last, again." 

"Of course they did, they're the best," Henry grinned, stepping up onto the statues shoes to get an even better look. The last of the oxen were going by, the rumbling fading into the distance when he heard the first roars. The first three tigers in full form sauntered down the street, the lead one at least half a head taller than the two flanking him. They stopped across from the statue and lifted their heads, letting out another shattering roar. 

If it was even possible, the cheers from the crowd grew louder as three more tigers joined them in half form. Like the rabbits, they were doing tumbling and acrobatics, their bodies moving with an artful grace as they almost danced together down the street. As the tigers continued on their way, Henry got KiBum's attention. "That huge tiger? Is a descendent of Seo TeoJi, he's the best fighter they've seen in years and that's who I want to be when I grow up."

"Really?" KiBum chuckled, craning his neck to get a better look at the tiger in question as they went farther down the street. "He's that good?"

"I think all the cubs look up to him," Amber rolled her eyes, nudging Henry's side. "Please don't ever be as cocky as he is." 

"He has every right to be cocky, he's like... tiger royalty," Henry said. "I could never hope to be as good as he is."

"And you don't have to be," Amber huffed, watching the tigers go. They could still hear the cheers from farther on as the parade continued through the streets. "Are we following the parade or going to get some food?" 

"Food first, I'm starving," Henry said. "I think maybe once we've eaten and seen some of the merchant stalls, we should take KiBum to the Sign museum. It's free to the public today, and I think he could really learn some interesting stuff there."

"I'm not going to say no," KiBum shrugged, smiling as he hopped down from the platform.

"He's going to be sick of Sign history by the end of the day," Amber laughed, following. The blossom was still in her hand.

"Not really, I want to learn all this," KiBum looked back at them. "I never...got a chance to look at things from this point of view before." 

"I'm surprised that you didn't cover any of that in that class you were taking, about signs?" Henry said once they were headed through the crowd to the food vendors. "I mean it really started here, no country had freed Signs until the resistance started here. Now, half the countries in the world have."

"We covered a many things in that class, but it's a lot to go over considering no one's ever really thought of Signs this way before, you know?" KiBum shrugged, hands jammed in his pockets. "We didn't have a chance to go into depth, maybe if there was more than one class for it. Many people didn't even _know_ there were countries with free signs, I certainly didn't." 

Henry's lips quirked slightly at that. "Well now you do know, and you can tell other people. You can even tell your Professor what you learned."

Thinking about that, KiBum grinned. "I think I will. Hey...are there recordings of this parade anywhere?"

"I think there are some of past years," Amber blinked, glancing over at him.

KiBum smirked. "Instead of telling him, why don't I bring one back and show him?" 

"They might have some at the museum gift shop," Henry nodded. "I know there's lots of pictures and prints, and a couple books about the parade too. Guess we'll see what we can find?"

"Yeah," KiBum nodded. "Anything that we can find that I could take back with us would be awesome." Maybe if he held onto them long enough, he could show them to HyungJoon too. 

*************************16

As much as Zhou Mi wanted his vacation with KyuHyun to go on forever, hew knew they needed to get back to reality eventually. He had missed so much in regards to the gaming commission, and he hoped there weren't even worse rules to contend with once he got back. The flight back to Korea was long, though it didn't feel quite as long as the flight out had been. Maybe it was because when he was tired, he could drop his head onto KyuHyun's shoulder and sleep in relative comfort.

It didn't help Zhou Mi's mood any that they had to put KyuHyun's collar back on before they left the airport once they had landed, but it couldn't be helped. It was his right as an owner to decide whether or not a slave wore one, but considering his position in the tournaments, he couldn't be viewed as soft when it came to slaves. Not yet at least.

"Maybe we can stop in on Geng and HeeChul," Zhou Mi said, watching the familiar buildings go past as the taxi took them home. "I didn't realize how much I missed them until we got back."

"If they didn't go somewhere for vacation too," KyuHyun shrugged, watching outside the window as well. "HeeChul's probably going to be pissed we didn't bring him back anything." The snake was about as happy as Zhou Mi was to be back and have his collar back on, but there was little that could be done about that, and the time with it off had helped him a lot. 

"We bought him liquor, that should be enough," Zhou Mi chuckled. "As much as I would have rather stayed over there, I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed again."

"Me too," KyuHyun nodded, glancing at Zhou Mi. "Having such a huge bed in the hotel didn't really make much of a difference, you cling like a koala either way," his lips quirked slightly. 

"I did warn you," Zhou Mi laughed, looking back at him. "You weren't really complaining the past month though."

"I'm cold-blooded, and you're a living heater," KyuHyun rolled his eyes, looking up as they arrived outside the apartment complex. "But no, I'm not complaining." 

Piling out of the car, Zhou Mi helped the driver with their bags and started for the front door. As tired as he was, he still wiggled in excitement the entire way up the elevator. Dragging his suitcase behind him, he waddled to the door at a run, unlocking the apartment and pushing it open. "Ah, home!" he grinned, holding up his arms and tilting his head back, breathing in the air. "Smells delicious."

Snorting in amusement, KyuHyun followed at a more leisurely pace. "Delicious? You're weird." He placed his hands on Zhou Mi's hips from behind and steered the older man out of the way of the door so he could step inside. Closing the door behind them, he placed his bag to the side and looked around. While he wouldn't really call the smell of the apartment 'delicious', it was nice to be back. 

"I'm well aware I'm not normal," Zhou Mi said, going to the couch and flopping over onto it. "I'm just glad to be home is all. Even with all the equality and understanding we saw in the States, I still feel the most liberated when I'm here in this apartment... with you. This, is freedom to me."

Nodding, KyuHyun moved their bags by the stairs to take up with them later before going to join Zhou Mi on the couch. He nudged the human's legs over so he could sit down. "This is...home, I guess." 

"...You guess?" Zhou Mi blinked at that, sitting up and scooting over so KyuHyun could sit. "Does this not feel like home to you?"

"No, it does, it's just that I never expected to even know what 'home' felt like." KyuHyun stretched out, making himself comfortable. 

"And are you happy?" Zhou Mi asked, sitting sideways on the couch and leaning his cheek up against the back.

Looking at Zhou Mi, KyuHyun's lips quirked and he nodded. "Yeah. I'm happy." 

"Good," Zhou Mi smiled, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "That's all I've ever wanted, was to make sure that you were happy." His eyes opened when there was a knock at the door. "Not even home five minutes and we're being bothered."

"Don't know who it would be," KyuHyun snorted, standing with a sigh. He walked to the door and opened it.

"We thought we heard you come back," Han Geng smiled, standing behind HeeChul. 

"We didn't think, we knew," HeeChul said. "Stick legs over there can't talk quietly."

"Let them in KyuHyun," Zhou Mi said, sitting up more and smiling at the two. "You couldn't give us an hour to get settled before coming over?"

"Sorry," Han Geng laughed. As KyuHyun stepped aside, he and HeeChul entered the apartment. "Should we come back later?" 

"I'm not coming back later," HeeChul sniffed, moving into the apartment. "We're here now, so we visit."

"Well, we missed you too HeeChul," Zhou Mi chuckled. "It's fine Geng, we're happy to see you."

"How was the vacation?" Han Geng asked, watching KyuHyun close the door before going to reclaim his spot next to Zhou Mi. The snake seemed at ease, prompting Geng to smile at Mi softly. 

"Relaxing," Zhou Mi said, the contentment clear in his expression. "I think it was exactly what we needed. I don't know about KyuHyun, but it strengthened my resolve for what we're doing. Seeing all those people, humans and signs alike together, living in equality... it's not something I'm likely to forget anytime soon."

"Good," Han Geng chuckled, going to sit down in a chair. He held out one hand for HeeChul. "It would be nice to see something like that _here_ , in our lifetimes." 

"I'm not holding my breath," HeeChul said, sitting down in Han Geng's lap. "What'd you bring us?"

"I'm sorry to say we didn't do much souvenir shopping," Zhou Mi laughed. "But I did pick up a bottle of whiskey for you HeeChul. I was told it was the best in the country."

"His liquor cupboard was running low again," Han Geng chuckled, wrapping his arms loosely around HeeChul's waist. "Do I get to try some before you drink it all?" He asked the rooster. 

"We'll see," HeeChul sniffed. "Depends on how nice you are to me."

"I picked up some books Geng, on the history of Sign independence in the States," Zhou Mi said, shaking his head a little at HeeChul. "They're in English, but maybe we can get them translated for us."

"Good idea, I don't speak even a word of English," Han Geng laughed. "How did you both survive in the States for that long?"

"By not letting him ask for directions," KyuHyun pointed in Zhou Mi's direction, lounging comfortably against the couch. 

Zhou Mi pouted at him. "We survived because there were a number of Chinese and Korean people in the city. We spent a great deal of time in Chinatown, and we learned quite a bit from them on how to navigate the city."

"Should have learned English before you went," HeeChul said. "We'll have to remember that before our trip. I'll learn English."

"....I'm not sure if that's a good idea," Han Geng blinked at the back of HeeChul's head. "Because then you'll try to teach _me_ , and make me say inappropriate things again." 

"When have I ever tried to make you say inappropriate things?" HeeChul looked over his shoulder at Han Geng with innocent eyes. "What do you take me for?"

"Someone who got me in trouble on numerous occasions for giving me the wrong Korean," Han Geng poked HeeChul's waist, KyuHyun snickering. 

"You can't blame me just because your pronunciation is atrocious," HeeChul sniffed. 

"Says the person who hasn't been willing to learn Mandarin," Zhou Mi said. "Maybe you should get him back for all that Geng, and make him learn your language."

"I can't," Han Geng said gloomily. "Last time I tried all he learned was the swear words."

"At least you can have conversations he can't understand," KyuHyun snorted. 

"I'm not learning Mandarin," HeeChul said, crossing his arms. "I speak a perfectly good language and I like the fact that when he gets confused and trips over words I can ignore him because I don't understand."

"You ignore me sometimes even when you do understand," Han Geng sniffed, securing his arms more comfortably around HeeChul's waist and resting his cheek against the other man's shoulder. 

"I'm sorry, what was that?" HeeChul mused cheekily.

"Dealing with indignant children aside, how have things been here Geng?" Zhou Mi asked.

"It's been...interesting," Han Geng murmured, leaning back in the chair. "And very busy. I've been doing my best to apply pressure on the gaming commissioner, apparently he's not very popular with several people in the senate." 

"Oh?" That got Zhou Mi's interest, and he leaned forward slightly. "Why? What did he do?"

"He stepped on quite a few toes to get to where he is now, and has used his position to keep others from getting where they wanted," Han Geng replied, closing his eyes. "Either way, he's feeling the heat right now." 

Zhou Mi's lips thinned slightly at that and he glanced at KyuHyun briefly before returning his gaze to HeeChul and Han Geng. "Has there been talk of trying to oust him yet?"

"Some, but I'm not sure if it's caught on or not. I'm still new; all I can do is keep listening and prodding them in the right direction for now." Han Geng cracked one eye open at Zhou Mi. "Do you know what _you're_ doing on your end?" 

"Not sure yet," Zhou Mi said, folding his arms. "I'll be going back day after tomorrow and I'll have to see how things are going in the commission itself. When I left, the shareholders had called a meeting with the commissioner but it was postponed until the start of the new year."

Nodding slowly, Han Geng frowned in thought. "If the shareholders are feeling the pressure, this might be even easier."

"So what does all that mean?" KyuHyun asked, looking between them. He didn't understand politics in the least. "Are we making progress?" 

"It means that the commissioner isn't doing the job," Zhou Mi said. "And if he's getting pressure from the senate, then he's doing a very bad job. The fact that a referee was killed for the first time in decades is not a good thing. Attendance last year was down ten percent; that may not seem like a lot but it's enough for the shareholders to take notice."

"Do you think they'll give him another year?" Han Geng asked, opening both eyes to watch them with a frown. 

"... They could if he had support from his staff," Zhou Mi said. "If he doesn't? Then someone else will be voted in. Depends on how the shareholder meeting goes."

"We can only hope it goes badly for him," Han Geng sighed, rubbing his eyes. The Chinese man looked tired. "Another year would give him a better chance to get back in their good graces." 

"Exactly," Zhou Mi nodded. "But if we stick to our plans, I have a feeling things will be going our way... are you okay Geng?"

"He's been tossing and turning at night," HeeChul said, his tone sarcastic but Zhou Mi could see the little bit of worry in his eyes. "Which then means he's a huge grump all day."

"I'm fine, it's just been a long couple months," Han Geng laughed quietly. "Should have taken that vacation while I had the chance, and while HeeChul wasn't convinced he can learn English." 

"I can do a better job than you," HeeChul said. "And we're taking a vacation when winter hits, I want to be on a beach somewhere with the sun and not freezing my tail feathers off here."

"Maybe you should get some rest Geng," Zhou Mi suggested. "KyuHyun and I are tired ourselves, and we could use some time to get settled."

"Oh right...sorry for showing up so suddenly," Han Geng chuckled, shifting to get up but foiled by HeeChul in his lap. "Glad to see you both again, the hallway's been too quiet. Up," he poked the rooster's side. 

HeeChul stood up with a grumble, crossing his arms. "I was enjoying the quiet actually, but now I have someone to bother if Geng's out and you're here KyuHyun."

"He's looking forward to it," Zhou Mi chuckled, getting up and grabbing his bag. "Here's that whiskey I promised. This should keep you occupied for a while HeeChul," he said, handing the bottle to Han Geng.

"Thank you Mi," Han Geng smiled, taking the bottle and showing HeeChul. "Try not to finish it all in one night."

"He's not getting any more if he does," KyuHyun smirked, stretched out comfortably on the couch.

"Have a good night," Geng said, heading to the door. 

"Night, we'll talk more on the weekend when I have more information," Zhou Mi said, showing the two out. He shut and locked the door behind them before returning to the couch. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to fall face first into bed."

"Long plane rides suck." KyuHyun caught Zhou Mi by the sleeve on his way by, tugging hard. 

Not expecting that, Zhou Mi shrieked as he went down ass over tea kettle, nearly flipping the whole couch over and landing hard on KyuHyun. "Are you _trying_ to crack my head open on the floor?"

The snake grunted slightly as Zhou Mi nearly squashed him. "Not my fault if your balance is worse than a tiger with it's tail cut off," KyuHyun snorted, shifting to make himself a little more comfortable. 

"This isn't going to be comfortable all night," Zhou Mi said, wiggling enough to stretch himself out and rest his cheek on KyuHyun's chest. "We should really go up to bed."

"In a bit," KyuHyun closed his eyes, fingers brushing against Zhou Mi's hair lightly. "They should have seats like this on planes, it would make sleeping a lot easier." 

"Mhm," Zhou Mi hummed in agreement, nuzzling into KyuHyun. "You glad to be home?"

KyuHyun nodded. "Yeah. You?" His hand trailed down from Zhou Mi's hair to run up and down the human's back slowly. 

"I am," Zhou Mi replied, tilting his head up a little to look up at KyuHyun. "And I'm glad that we can be like this, without a care in the world as long as we're together."

The snake's lips quirked softly. "You're such a sap. Why are you so cheesy all the time?" His other hand lifted to brush locks of hair out of Zhou Mi's eyes. 

"Because I'm a romantic," Zhou Mi grinned. "And admit it, you like it a little, you get those butterflies in your stomach like I do," he said, tickling KyuHyun's belly a little.

Squawking, KyuHyun squirmed. "Stop that, or we're going to fall off the couch. And that is a weird expression, who eats butterflies?" 

"... Certain types of snakes do," Zhou Mi grinned. "It's just an expression... and you didn't disagree."

"Your point being?" KyuHyun wrinkled his nose at the human, smirking slightly. 

"The point is, you like it when I'm sappy, gives you an excuse not to be," Zhou Mi said, scooting up a little so he was more eye level with the snake. "I love you KuiXian."

KyuHyun's lips formed more of a smile than a smirk. "Some people would think you lost your mind, loving a snake." His fingers slid back to twine into Zhou Mi's hair. 

"Some people think I've already lost my mind a long time ago, but that's okay," Zhou Mi said, returning the smile. "I'm happy, that's all that matters to me."

"That's good, cause I love you too, even if you are crazy." KyuHyun drew Zhou Mi down into a kiss. 

Zhou Mi returned the kiss, an arm going around KyuHyun's neck. "Mm... butterflies," he grinned against KyuHyun's mouth.

"I'll show you butterflies," KyuHyun grumbled, tickling Zhou Mi's side in retaliation. 

"Wha-?" Zhou Mi blinked in surprise half a second before he shrieked, again, pushing KyuHyun away. In doing so, he promptly rolled off the couch and fell on the floor with a loud thump. "...Ow."

"Knew that would happen eventually," KyuHyun chuckled, sitting up and leaning over to help get Zhou Mi off the floor. "Come on...let's go to bed." 

"Of course it will if you start tickling me," Zhou Mi huffed, getting to his feet. "What was that for? I was trying to be sweet," he pouted at the snake.

"By hinting I had butterfly breath?" KyuHyun wrinkled his nose at the older man. 

"What?" Zhou Mi looked confused. "That... no, KuiXian," he chuckled, shaking his head. "That isn't what I was saying at all. I said butterflies because I had that nice feeling in my stomach when I kissed you, and I love that feeling."

"Oh...Oh, okay," KyuHyun blinked as he stood. "Well that's not as bad." He wrapped his arms loosely around Zhou Mi's waist. "Try again?" 

"Yes," Zhou Mi smiled, his hands sliding up KyuHyun's arms to settle on his shoulders. "Maybe somewhere where we're in less danger of falling," he said, taking a step backwards towards the stairs. "And I can show you how wonderful that butterfly feeling really is."

"Maybe," KyuHyun murmured, eyes flashing sapphire before settling into black again. "If we make it up the stairs." He followed Zhou Mi's movement towards the stairs, sneaking in a kiss. 

"I think that's something we can manage," Zhou Mi said, leaning in for another kiss before taking KyuHyun's hand and pulling him up the stairs. They had tried once, to distract themselves going up those stairs with kisses, but it ended with Zhou Mi toppling back down the stairs and needing an ice pack for his head. He wasn't taking the chance that could happen, not this time. Zhou Mi knew KyuHyun well enough to know what that change in his eyes had meant, and wasn't going to let anything get in between them and the bed. Not even if it's a couple extra kisses.

*************************************

The following day, Zhou Mi and KyuHyun were surprised by a courier showing up at their door with an envelope bearing the Gaming Commission's stamp. The shareholders had called a meeting, even though the last any of them had heard the meeting was supposed to have been postponed to the following year.

That was how two days later Zhou Mi and KyuHyun found themselves standing outside the Commission's headquarters in downtown Seoul, KyuHyun carrying the other man's briefcase for him. "Guess now's when I say good luck," the snake murmured, looking up at the large building. 

"I don't think I'm the one who needs it right now," Zhou Mi said, buttoning his suitcoat. "Like I said earlier, the shareholders don't call emergency meetings unless it's very important."

"Either way, good luck," KyuHyun smirked, ducking his head a little as they entered the building. He followed a pace behind Zhou Mi as they walked to the elevator, glancing at the receptionist as they passed by. 

Zhou Mi was quiet as the elevator ascended, making sure his tie was straight and his suit smoothed down. He was nervous, and he had good reason to be. He had never actually met any of the shareholders as of yet, the commissioner preferring to hold meetings with them behind closed doors. Whether that was a tactic to keep himself in power or not, Zhou Mi wasn't sure, but this was the first time he'd been summoned by anyone other than the commissioner.

Arriving at the top floor, Zhou Mi stepped out of the lift when the gates pulled back and he frowned slightly at how quiet it was. The few workers who were there were whispering to each other at their desks, glancing up at him as he walked by. 

"Zhou Mi?" A light voice got Zhou Mi's attention and he looked over to a younger woman who had sidled up next to him. Zhou Mi recognized her as one of the workers in the stenographer's pool, "They haven't told us what's going on, but the commissioner went in there an hour ago and haven't seen him come out yet... do you know what's going on?"

"No, Sulli, I have no idea," Zhou Mi said with a frown. "Just go back to work, I'm sure everything's fine."

KyuHyun eyed the workers who all seemed to be watching them before walking over to the closed meeting room door and gripped the handle, glancing back at Zhou Mi. He could hear voices from inside, too muffled by the door for the humans to hear, and none of those voices sounded happy. The snake pulled the door open for Zhou Mi, stepping aside for his master to enter.

The shareholders were sitting around a long table, Kang HoDong sitting at the end of it. From the slight purple in his face, he was livid and trying to hold it in. 

Zhou Mi took a moment to glance at the people in the room, the twelve men and women who made up the board returning his look. He bowed hesitantly, stepping into the room. "I'm sorry if I'm late," he said, bowing again.

"You're right on time, Zhou Mi I assume?" One of the men said, motioning to a chair in between them and HoDong. "Please, sit. We were just discussing the terms of the commissioners resignation."

KyuHyun situated himself back against the wall behind Zhou Mi's chair, close enough to help if he was needed while being out of the way.

"I told you I just need more time," HoDong said through a clenched jaw, seething. "I have plans to bring more profit to the tournaments, and those plans do not include resignation." 

"We believe you have had more than enough time," one of the women said as Zhou Mi took his seat. "What few ideas you have proposed seems to be more of the same. We don't believe that changing the rules for the third tier to make the fights a death match only will bring in revenue."

"It may bring the people, as you have demonstrated, but less houses will be willing to put in their fighters," the first man spoke again. "We need that revenue in fees as well."

"To the contrary, I believe the houses will enter _more_ fighters, as the third tier will have become that much more challenging," HoDong argued. "There is no shortage of potential fighters in the breeding houses, they will be snatched up quickly and you will have even more revenue in fighter fees." 

The woman frowned at that, but one of the other men spoke up. "What are your thoughts on Kang HoDong's proposition Zhou Mi?"

Clearing his throat slightly, Zhou Mi folded his hands on top of the table. "I think it would be a mistake. The people pay for a fight, not a slaughter. Death is an unfortunate occurrence in the ring from the viewpoint of a fighting house. So much money is spent and time training the Signs that it would not be a good enough return on the investment. There is also a very valid point about the breeding houses not being able to keep up. Tigers and dragons take the most time to breed, as they yield so few offspring unlike rats and rabbits. What would be next, lowering the age limit for fighters so the thirteen year olds can be put into the tournaments?"

KyuHyun could see HoDong's surprise at Zhou Mi's words: the other man had always sided with him thus far. "The breeding houses will adjust to keep up with the demand for more fighters," the older man said lowly. "At thirteen years a Sign isn't mature enough to be sent into the ring, though it isn't too early to be purchased and begin training with a proper fighting house." 

"And what about the quality of stock?" Zhou Mi replied, looking to HoDong with a neutral expression. "Why should the breeding houses have to churn out inferior stock to keep up with a policy that would kill hundreds of well trained fighters, some at the beginning of their careers?" His attention returned to the stockholders. "I watched that semi final fight at the last tournament, where a good fighter plummeted to his death within five minutes. The crowd jeered, were upset that the fighter died. They want to see a real fight, not a mindless blood bath."

The shareholders were nodding in approval at Zhou Mi's words, KyuHyun pressing his lips firmly together to hide a smile. Mi had them now, and from the look on his face, HoDong knew it.

"I think we've reached our decision," one of the shareholders said, scratching down some notes. "Zhou Mi is far more in tune with what is needed of a Games Commissioner; you seem to have lost your touch. We will sign on your resignation, effective immediately." 

"We will have your office cleared out, and your things sent to you," another said. "But we will ask that you leave the building immediately, under escort if needed. A press conference is scheduled for later this afternoon where you will tell the people you have tendered your resignation."

"You are making a mistake," HoDong thundered, standing. "I _am_ the Games Commissioner, I have been for over a decade. _I_ made this tournament as great as it is now, the envy of all of Asia! You have no right to tell me when to resign." 

"And the tournament will continue well after you have retired, just as it has for decades," the first shareholder said, not intimidated in the least. "And just as it has for decades, the commissioner is subject to the shareholders decisions. We thank you for your dedicated service Kang HoDong, but you are dismissed."

KyuHyun watched as HoDong's jaw clenched and unclenched, thinking that if looks could kill everyone in the room would be dead. Finally the man picked up his papers, pushing back his chair and striding from the room. The door was closed roughly, the bang echoing through the room. The snake slowly released a breath he'd been holding. 

Zhou Mi also visibly relaxed, wanting to rest his forehead on the table but knew he needed to pay attention. This was the moment he'd been waiting for for months, and he wasn't going to let it slip through his fingers.

"Now that that nasty business is taken care of, Zhou Mi," one of the shareholders was speaking to him, smiling a little. "I'm sorry we had to make our introductions this way and that you had to be a party to this unfortunate business. Kang HoDong was a very strong man in his prime, and is still more than a little intimidating."

"Agreed," Zhou Mi said, lips fluttering slightly in a weak smile.

"But, the real reason we called you here, is because now that Commissioner Kang is gone, we need a new commissioner. Before all of this came about, he spoke highly of you, as have many of the staff here. Bringing you here was more of a test than anything, to see what you would bring as a commissioner."

KyuHyun perked up at this, watching the back of Zhou Mi's head. He wished he could say something, but he had to play the obedient slave now or they'd lose their chance.

"We're pleased to say you passed this test, in not following Commissioner Kang's misguided ways," spoke a woman at the far end of the table. "But there is still much to discuss about what direction to take the tournament now...should you choose to step up as the new Gaming Commissioner." 

"...Choose... me?" Zhou Mi blinked. "Of.. of course, of course. It would be my honor. I have a number of ideas that I think the tournament would benefit from."

"Good, we will be anxious to hear them," one said. "How about tomorrow morning, after Commissioner Kang's resignation is signed and ratified, we can discuss these things in more detail. Congratulations Zhou Mi, we look forward to many more years of tournament success."

"Thank you," Zhou Mi smiled, getting to his feet. "I... I don't know what to say. Thank you, and you won't be disappointed in me or my work. The tournaments will be better than they ever have before, truly."

"We look forward to working with you," the woman who had spoken when they first came in nodded to them. KyuHyun pushed away from the wall, waiting for Zhou Mi to leave the room so he could fall into step behind the older man. The meeting had gone better than they had hoped for; neither of them had expected Zhou Mi to be made commissioner so early. 

Bowing to each of the shareholders in turn, Zhou Mi finally made his way out of the boardroom, not acknowledging KyuHyun as he went. It was obvious once he stepped out that something had happened, people standing around in shock with a few picking up strewn papers and righting chairs. Kang HoDong had not left quietly it seemed. He was given a questioning look from some of his coworkers, but he just gave them a tight smile as he went to the lift. Pressing the call button, he took a deep breath and stepped on when it arrived. 

It wasn't until the doors and gate closed that he finally rounded on KyuHyun and pounced on him in a hug. "Oh my... _KuiXian_!" he breathed out, giddier than he had ever been. "It worked."

Squawking even though he shouldn't have been surprised, KyuHyun grinned and hugged Zhou Mi back just as tightly. "You're going to be a much better commissioner than that old fart." KyuHyun pulled Zhou Mi into a hard kiss, just as elated at the turn of events as the human. 

Zhou Mi returned the kiss happily, pressing KyuHyun up against the wall of the elevator. His mind was still reeling from what happened, and it would probably take a week at the earliest before he came back to reality. This wasn't a dream, this had really happened. When he finally pulled back, they were just at the ground floor and he pulled away from KyuHyun with a groan. "This means that our real work begins now," he said, smiling softly at KyuHyun.

"About time," KyuHyun smiled back, wanting to continue but letting go of the other man when the lift gates opened. "I think we should celebrate tonight though," he murmured lowly before falling back into the appearance of a submissive slave. 

Humming in approval, Zhou Mi strode from the elevator with his chin up and chest out. Nothing could ruin this day for him short of a gun to the face and even then he wasn't sure if he would be upset. No, everything was going right today. Hailing a cab, he climbed in and nearly vibrated in the seat in excitement. "Geng is going to be so pleased. We'll take him and HeeChul out for dinner, or order in, or _something_. This is a huge day for all of us."

KyuHyun nodded, chuckling at how Zhou Mi couldn't sit still. "Maybe order in?" There weren't many Sign-friendly places where he and HeeChul could act like themselves, and now Zhou Mi had his appearance as Games Commissioner to uphold, they couldn't let this be outdone. Seeing Mi was going to vibrate right off the seat if he kept that up, KyuHyun rolled his eyes and wrapped one arm loosely around the human's waist. 

"Hm? Yes, order in," Zhou Mi nodded, fingers tapping at his knees. "Chinese sounds good. I want a true celebratory dinner. Geng will approve. Did you see that vein on HoDong's forehead? It looked like it was going to burst right there."

"I think something burst out in the hallway." KyuHyun frowned. "You might have to watch out for him, he could be trouble later on." 

"He could be, but he only has one true friend in the business," Zhou Mi said. "I'm not worried about him, not right now. It will be some time for HoDong has any sway to challenge me or the shareholders."

"I guess," the snake wrinkled his nose. "What are you going to say in that meeting tomorrow? You know what you're going to do?" 

"No, I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do," Zhou Mi said, shaking his head. "I have ideas, but I'll have to take some time tonight to get them organized. Will probably get Geng's help with it... There is one thing I'm sure of though. The referees... they need to be better protected."

KyuHyun nodded slowly at that. "You think they should be out of the arena during the third tier?" 

"Yes, or all tiers for that matter," Zhou Mi said. "They're more than just the referee, they're the announcer, a face that the people see time and time again. Someone that the people can connect with, that they can trust. Someone they would want to be kept safe."

"You think the crowd would care if the referee is safe?" KyuHyun frowned. "They're also a connection to the fighters though...I mean, the referee can go in and out of the fighter wings and speak with them, fighters know the referee." 

"They are," Zhou Mi nodded. "I think someone who has the personality for it can be someone the people care about. More than just a mouthpiece for the commissioner, someone that the crowd and even the fighters can connect with."

KyuHyun looked out the window of the taxi as they headed back to the apartment. "That would be important to what you're doing, right?" he asked. "If you want to revamp the whole face of the tournament, working with the new referee would be a big thing." 

"It would. It would be a way to get the fighters to trust me, if they trusted the referee," Zhou Mi said. "I'll have to find someone who could connect with them, and trust me at the same time. I'll have to start looking for someone soon if I want them to be in place by the time the tournament starts."

The snake was quiet for a moment, brow furrowed. He turned his head to look at Zhou Mi beside him. "I can do it." 

"Hm?" Zhou Mi turned and blinked a little. "What? Do what? Wait... no, KuiXian. You don't have to do it, I know how you feel about the tournament. I would never want you in that position again."

"You said I wouldn't be in the ring again," KyuHyun replied. "And you need someone _you_ can trust in that position too... Plus if you want the fighters to trust you, what's better than having your own slave talk to them?" 

Zhou Mi took a deep breath, finding KyuHyun's hand and squeezing it. "I just... I don't want you think that you _have_ to do it, and know that I would never ever, _ever_ , make you do that again. Do you truly want to do this?"

KyuHyun's lips quirked. "It's my decision this time. You're not making me do anything. And I want to be able to help with this, you're going to have enough on your shoulders as it is." He brushed his thumb lightly against the back of Zhou Mi's hand. 

"Well... as long as it's what you want to do," Zhou Mi said, smiling a little. "Thank you, that... would help more than you know. Now we can really work together to do this." His eyes widened. "Oh! I'll have to get a letter of resignation together for the school and clear out my office... I really wasn't expecting this for another year, I hope they can get a replacement teacher for my classes."

"Hope so, you were doing real good there," KyuHyun frowned. "The classes were getting bigger each semester. It would be a shame for all that to go to waste." 

"It would," Zhou Mi slumped a little. "I don't know if I made enough of a difference there as I would have hoped. I think I only reached a handful of students... I don't know if it was enough."

"It's better than nothing," KyuHyun nudged Zhou Mi's side lightly. "Even if it's just a handful, who knows what they'll do with that information. They'll be the ones running the city in a few years." 

"Or living in their parent's basements," Zhou mi said glumly. "Oh well, I tried at least, that counts for something." He looked up when the car came to a stop and nudged KyuHyun out of the taxi. "Hurry, let's see if Geng and HeeChul are home yet."

"HeeChul will be at least," KyuHyun got out of the taxi, stretching out his arms. "Wonder if he's gotten through that bottle of whiskey yet." 

"It's only been two..." Zhou Mi sighed and shook his head. "I'm sure he has." Stepping inside the building, he went to the elevator and waited for it to arrive, stepping on when the doors opened and pressed the button for their floor. "Well, if Geng won't be home for a few hours... maybe we can celebrate a little by ourselves?" he mused, turning to KyuHyun and laying his arms over the snake's shoulders.

"I can agree to that," KyuHyun chuckled, wrapping his arms loosely around Zhou Mi's waist. "It's your victory today, how do you want to celebrate?" He pressed a kiss against Zhou Mi's jaw. 

"Mmm... I don't know if I should say out loud, I may offend your ears," Zhou Mi said, grinning at the kisses.

"Then why don't you just show me instead," the snake murmured, nipping at the human's soft skin with the tips of his fangs as he pulled Zhou Mi closer. 

Zhou Mi squeaked at that, pulling back slightly and pouting at him. "Sometimes, that scares me a little," he said, pulling KyuHyun out of the elevator when it stopped. "And other times... I really like it." He stopped to press KyuHyun up against the wall, kissing him again.

KyuHyun didn't have a chance to reply, returning the deepened kiss and dragging his fingers down Zhou Mi's back. "One of the fun points of being with a snake," he breathed once they had to break the kiss for air, opening sapphire eyes as scales reappeared along his hairline. "You have to trust that I won't hurt you." 

"... I trust you," Zhou Mi replied, eyes widening at the appearance of the scales and he smiled softly. "I trust you with my life KuiXian," he whispered, bringing up a hand to lightly trace the scales along his neck. "You trust me?"

Touching the scales drew a reaction from the snake, KyuHyun inhaling slowly as his eyelids fluttered. "I trust you," he murmured, leaning in to rest his forehead against Zhou Mi's. "But if you do that again I'm going to strip you out in the hallway." 

"Tempting," Zhou Mi chuckled softly. "I guess we should go inside then," he murmured, kissing KyuHyun again. "Don't want to offend the neighbors."

Making a low noise in agreement, KyuHyun pushed away from the wall and steered Zhou Mi towards their door. Today had been a good day for them both, and it was only going to get more and more difficult from here on in. But he was going to make sure work was the farthest thing from Zhou Mi's mind for the rest of the day. There were far better things to think about just then. 

*********************************17

School starting again was both a blessing and a curse. KiBum didn't really want to leave North America, enjoying what he was learning every day over there. Not all of it Sign-related; Henry told him his English had improved threefold during his trip. He hoped he could visit again the following summer, but Henry would want some time alone with his family without a visitor hanging around.

Not only with his family, KiBum thought. "What's that?" he asked cheekily from where he was gathering folders together, seeing Henry at his desk with an envelope bearing a suspiciously Canadian stamp. 

"What's what?" Henry asked, nudging the envelope under a pile of papers. "I'm studying, see?" Henry picked up the book he was looking at before setting back down.

"Sure you are," KiBum smirked, grabbing the books and folder he was looking for under the pile of textbooks. "Is that from Amber? We're barely back a week and she's sending love letters?" 

"I don't know what you're talking about," Henry sniffed.

"Uh-huh, I'm not blind," KiBum rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I'm gonna go see if the teachers offices are open. Don't have too much fun 'studying'." 

"... I _am_ studying," Henry retorted, sticking out his tongue at KiBum. "You're the one being weird."

"Yeah yeah," KiBum waved one hand at Henry as he left the room, smiling. He hadn't expected his roommate to become his best friend, thinking sharing a room with someone else would mean more awkward silence and arguments than anything. But meeting Henry had been a stroke of luck.

He made his way to the teachers offices, looking down at the previous year's course outline for Sign Relations for Zhou Mi's office number. He could only hope they hadn't changed offices, or that the professor was in. Showing him the stuff from Canada was one thing, but he wanted to actually talk with the older man about the experience too, not just slide papers under his door.

Locating the right office, KiBum was confused by the lack of name plaque on the door; the holder was empty. He could hear voices inside the room though, so he drew himself up and knocked on the door. 

There was a loud thunk from the other side of the door before it was whisked open, Zhou Mi standing there and blinking repeatedly. "Hm? Yes?" his eyes adjusted to who he was seeing and his smile grew. "KiBum! What a pleasant surprise, you're lucky you caught me here. Come in, come in," he ushered KiBum into the small space. Bookshelves were empty and drawers overturned, boxes stacked neatly to one side. "Look who it is KuiXian."

KyuHyun looked up from where he was emptying the contents of a drawer into a cardboard box. "Oh," he blinked, lips quirking slightly as he recognized the student. "Hey."

"Hi," KiBum smiled at them both, bowing his head politely before he took in the state of the office. "Are you moving offices, professor?" he blinked, looking to Zhou Mi. 

"...In a manner of speaking," Zhou Mi nodded, his lips pursed thoughtfully. "I'm leaving the university. I've been offered the games commissioner position and will be starting first thing in the morning."

KiBum opened his mouth and closed it again, surprised. He thought the professor was against the tournament, from how he'd spoken in all his lectures. "Oh...okay, uh...congratulations," he smiled slightly, grip tightening on the folders in his grip. "We'll miss you here, your class was my favorite. I thought you didn't like the tournaments?" 

Glancing at KyuHyun, Zhou Mi hesitated slightly on what to say before closing the door so there were no eavesdroppers. "I don't like the tournaments KiBum, you're right," he said, sitting down on the cleared off desk. "Can you keep a secret?"

KiBum looked from Zhou Mi to KyuHyun and back, the snake having stopped what he was doing to listen to their conversation. He nodded after a moment. "Yeah, I can keep secrets." 

"Remember at the beginning of the semester, you asked if I thought slavery should be abolished?" Zhou Mi said, tilting his head slightly. "I never really answered that question, and for good reason. How an individual feels about something so polarizing as slavery is up to that individual to figure out. Even after the semester ended, it wasn't my place to tell you whether or not I agreed or disagreed with you. But let's say I did agree with you that slavery should be abolished and Signs giving equal treatment... What would you say is the biggest obstacle in getting that accomplished?"

Frowning, KiBum leaned lightly against the wall. "The biggest obstacle...I think it would be the minds of the people, getting them to see that Signs are more than just animals, or fighters, or slaves...Humans have seen Signs as the inferior species for so long, nothing will change until that attitude changes. Things like the breeding houses, and the tournament don't help, because they teach that Signs are dispensable objects," he said quietly, having thought about it a lot. 

"And what in your opinion would be the best way to change peoples minds?" Zhou Mi asked, watching him. "If you wanted to affect change, how would you go about doing it?"

"I..." KiBum's brow furrowed, the human's gaze on the ground. KyuHyun stood up and hopped onto the desk next to Zhou Mi, waiting for the student to gather his train of thought. "Change the situation. Give people the chance to turn around and see Signs in a different frame of mind." 

"And if given than chance, you would take it right?" Zhou Mi said. "And if we're still talking in hypotheticals, where would you try to change peoples minds? In a classroom? Newspapers? Public forums?"

"..." KiBum thought about that, slowly piecing things together in his mind. He could see where Zhou Mi was going with this now, gaze flicking up to the young professor's face. "...The tournament?" 

"Probably the most challenging place to try for change," Zhou Mi said, glancing at KyuHyun beside him. "Doesn't mean it couldn't be done though."

"So...that's what you're trying to do," KiBum looked between them. "You think you can pull this off? Change the rules so Signs are better protected? Or even...end the tournaments?" 

"We were just speaking in hypotheticals KiBum," Zhou Mi said with a soft chuckle. "Trying to turn an industry like the tournaments on its head would take years to do, and have to be very patient. Change doesn't come overnight."

Nodding slowly, KiBum's lips quirked slightly and he looked down at the folders in his hands. "I hope they find someone half as good as you for that Sign Relations class," he said quietly, looking up at Zhou Mi again. "It...gave me a lot to think about." 

"And I can honestly say I am glad to hear that," Zhou Mi said with a smile. "And I'm glad that you took the class at the right time. You were by far the best student I have had, and I'm sorry that I won't be here to answer any more of your questions. Speaking of... what prompted this visit?"

"Oh. I went to Canada with my roommate over the summer...Signs are free there, and they had this massive parade to celebrate Liberation Day. I brought back some stuff I thought would be interesting for your classes, but I guess they're a little useless now," KiBum chuckled quietly, holding out the folders and thin books to Zhou Mi. 

"Liberation Day?" Zhou Mi blinked a little at that, taking the things from KiBum and flipping through one of the books. "Nothing is ever useless KiBum... Are these mine to keep? This seems very interesting."

"I brought them back for you, yeah," KiBum nodded. "I kept a few books for myself. Liberation Day was when the slaves in North America gained their freedom...it was amazing to watch, everyone was just so happy. I think even there, there's still some discrimination against Signs...but it was inspiring to see how different things are. There's nothing stopping it from being like that _here_ too." 

"No, except for centuries old beliefs and prejudices," Zhou Mi said. "KuiXian and I were actually in New York over the holiday, and yes, people and signs did seem much happier. It was an eye opening experience for us both."

KiBum smiled slowly, nodding. "I want to help bring that here," he said. "But I'm not sure _how_." 

"If there's any I could give to you advice, it would be this," Zhou Mi said, smiling a little. "The easiest thing you could ever do, would be to start a conversation."

Blinking, KiBum looked thoughtful at that. "True...thanks." He breathed in deeply, smile widening. "Good luck being commissioner...you'll be the best thing that's ever happened to the tournaments." 

"That's the hope," Zhou Mi chuckled. "Thank you for dropping by KiBum, I hope we run into each other in the future."

"Same," KiBum nodded, bowing to them both. "Bye." He stepped out of the office, closing the door again behind him and breathing out slowly through his nose. That had given him a few things to think about. Was it possible to change the minds of others just through talking?

He was so immersed in his thoughts on the way back to the dorms he didn't watch where he was going as he headed down a couple stairs. Slamming into someone who had just took the corner, KiBum yelped and missed the last step as he went down. 

Who he ran into squeaked, tumbling down with him as books and papers went flying. "Sorry, I'm sorry, my fault," the other said, scrambling to his feet immediately.

"Ow..." KiBum winced in pain as he pushed himself up off the floor, favoring the shoulder he'd landed on. "It's— ow, it's okay, I wasn't watching where I was going..." He looked up at the other man then, and blinked. "...Do I know you from somewhere?" The stranger looked familiar. 

"No, sir, please accept my apology," the other said, a slave by the collar on his neck. He was picking up the fallen books and papers, trying to get them back in order. "I will tell my master, and he will punish me accordingly."

"...Huh?" KiBum's mouth fell open for a moment before he closed it quickly. Oh...now he remembered. It was that goat from the mid-term dance in the first semester, the one Henry had ran into. "No, you...you don't have to be punished for anything, it's just as much my fault." Seeing papers strewn around near him, he started to help gathering them up. "If it's gonna get you into trouble, your master doesn't have to know anything." 

The goat didn't even look up, shaking his head as he put papers back into the folder. "Must be punished, I... not allowed to talk to you. Please, sir, please stop," he whispered, hands trembling.

Eyes wide, KiBum swallowed and held out the papers he had picked up. "My name's KiBum," he said quietly, afraid of spooking the goat. "You did nothing wrong, you don't have to tell your master anything. If it makes you feel better, forget this even happened." 

" _SooHyun!_ " A voice not that far away called, the goat's ears flattening as he straightened back up and dashed up the stairs. He didn't say anything else to KiBum, or acknowledged the human in any way before disappearing.

KiBum watched the goat go, gaze tightened as he slowly stood. A large part of him wanted to run after the goat, confront his human master and give him a piece of his mind. But that wouldn't help the goat, SooHyun, at all.

Anger bubbled up inside him and he straightened his shoulders, turning to head back to the dorm. He couldn't just stand by while things like this happened, it was killing him. If talking would make a difference, then he would talk. He would talk to anyone who would listen, and even those who didn't want to listen.

Arriving back at the dorm room, he was once more wrapped up in his thoughts, this time on a mission. He immediately went to the pile of stuff he'd brought back from Canada, digging through it for the pamphlets on Liberation Day. Then he turned to his laptop, opening it and pulling up the school site. There had to be something on how to organize information sessions somewhere. KiBum knew several of the lecture halls and classrooms could be opened up outside of class hours for clubs and student organizations. 

Watching quietly from where he'd been studying on his bed, Henry blinked a few times before setting his book down in his lap. "So... What are you doing?" he asked after a moment when KiBum hadn't noticed his presence.

"Hm?" KiBum looked up, startled out of his train of thought. He glanced over his shoulder at Henry before resuming his search. "I'm looking to see how anyone organizes any events on campus...or who to go register with, or something." 

Instantly intrigued, and in no way shirking his duties on studying, Henry scooted off the bed and came over to join KiBum. "Why? Thinking of starting a chess club or something? I think they have one already."

"Not a...club, exactly. I think." KiBum looked up at Henry, expression set in determination as he held up the papers from Liberation Day. "I want to show people this." 

"...The parade?" Henry tilted his head a little. "I don't understand... Oh wait, you mean... Is that really a good idea?"

"I'm never gonna know unless I try," KiBum lowered the papers, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "Professor Zhou Mi's not going to be back this year...the Sign Relation's class is gonna go back to the way it always was, teaching people how to exploit Signs instead of understanding them. We _need_ this here, Henry...we need Signs to be free." 

Henry took a deep breath, sitting back on his own bed and looking at KiBum. " _I_ know that Signs need to be free, not just here but everywhere in the world." He looked away from a moment chewing on his lip. "You think anyone's going to even show?"

"If I promote it properly, we'll get some people," KiBum said firmly. "It probably won't be anything big...but starting small, we'll get people talking, which is what's most important. If no one talks about it, no one will even bother thinking about it, and nothing will change." 

"Okay.... okay, I'm in," Henry said, smiling at him. "Even if it's just us two for the first couple of weeks. Why is the Professor leaving?"

"He's...going to work with the tournaments," KiBum said, keeping it simple. He had a secret to keep. "But he's the one who said talking is the best way to get people to change, and then I ran into that goat with the asshole master again and...I just don't want to sit back and watch this anymore." 

"I don't usually feel bad for goats, but he's got it real bad," Henry said. "Hey, maybe you'll be like Seo TaiJi... except you're not a tiger, or an ex fighter... or, you know, _cool_."

"At least I don't stink to heaven when it rains," KiBum threw a pillow at Henry's head. 

Henry dodged the pillow easily, making a face at KiBum. "Yah, I'm not a dog. Cats don't stink, dogs do. Wait... did you said that the professor was going to work at the tournament? Isn't that like the opposite of helping free Signs?"

"That depends," KiBum shrugged, quirking a smile at Henry. "The tournaments can't get much worse...all they can do is get better." He looked at the papers on his bed and brightened, picking one up. "Found it! I can book us a room with this person at Student Services." 

Distracted by new words, Henry brightened. "Cool! We should make posters or something, or make fliers."

"Yeah," KiBum grinned. "Wanna help me put that together? And we can go hand out fliers and stuff between classes." 

"Sure! That sounds fun," Henry nodded, ears out and twitching. "And just so you know, if we see that ass hole guy with the goat again, I'll probably end up hitting him for you."

"Great," KiBum snorted. "You keep him occupied and I'll hide the goat." His gaze saddened. "Last time I saw someone that scared, they were in the Jung fighting house...and knowing what goes on _there_... I want to do something to help him, but whatever I could do would just get him into trouble." 

"Maybe you should just buy him," Henry said with a shrug. "That guy doesn't seem to like having a slave, let alone being nice to him."

"I..." KiBum's voice trailed off, and he looked away. "I don't want a slave, Henry, _ever_. I know my family has more slaves than servants, but I've always tried to distance myself from that. Buying a slave would make me just like the rest of them." 

"Yeah... but at least you'd know that goat wouldn't be getting mistreated," Henry said, resting back on his elbows. "So, what are we doing first?"

"First, go see someone about booking a room, and then make those fliers and posters," KiBum got to his feet. "Weren't you supposed to be studying?" 

"I don't understand your point," Henry blinked at him.

Snorting, KiBum stretched out. "If you're not too _busy_ , let's go." 

"I'm never busy," Henry bounced up onto his feet and pushed KiBum towards the door in excitement. "No glitter this time okay? It is impossible to get out of my fur."

"No glitter, got it. You might want to lose these," KiBum flailed his arms for balance before reaching back and tweaking one of Henry's ears. 

"I know," Henry pouted, shaking his head until the ears disappeared. "I don't like it. Now that we're back here and I'm not home... I hate having to keep them hidden."

KiBum sighed softly, looking back at Henry. He could understand the feeling. "We're going to fix it though," he smiled after a moment, clapping the half-tiger's shoulder lightly. "Maybe one day you won't have to hide anymore." 

"I hope so," Henry said, leaning against him as they walked. "Cause... as much as I like this school and having a cool friend like you... I don't know if I'd come back next year."

"...Oh." KiBum's expression fell at that. "I...guess I can't fault you for that. It's better for you in North America...I'll miss you though." 

"My mind isn't made up, so don't go pouting on me," Henry said, poking KiBum in the side. "I really do like it at this school, it was my first choice because the music program is _amazing_. And so are some of the people."

KiBum winced at the poke, forcing a smile. "I better be included in with 'some people', furball." 

"Okay, I'll rephrase then," Henry grumbled. " _One_ person is amazing. I couldn't give a fig about the rest of them. And keep those furball comments to yourself."

"Yeah, yeah," KiBum chuckled quietly, securing his arm around Henry's shoulders. "Come on, Student Services is this way." He steered them around a corner.

He didn't know what he would do without Henry, the only person he felt he could talk to in the whole school...even more so than his own brother. It was time to start talking, so people like Henry and SooHyun didn't feel isolated in a country that should accept them for exactly who they were.


	2. Chapter 2

After months of preparation, and tireless hours of negotiations, the new tournament season was getting under way. It was an important day for Zhou Mi, and for KyuHyun, though Zhou Mi saw it as the beginning of real change. He had no idea how people would react to all the changes he had already implemented, but he was confident it would go smoothly. At least he hoped it did. A lot was riding on this first day going well.

Which was why he had invited Han Geng and HeeChul to watch the opening ceremonies together. KyuHyun was going to be down in the ring all week, and Zhou Mi needed something to keep him from flying apart. Which he was very close to doing about an hour before his speech was to be made.

"Welcome to... should I say that louder? _Welcome to the..._ , no not louder," Zhou Mi talked to himself in the mirror, fussing with his tie.

"It's a five second speech before you pass it off to scales over there," HeeChul said, lounging on one of the couches. Since becoming commissioner, Zhou Mi now got to watch the tournaments from the commissioner box, and HeeChul for one was taking full advantage of the spread of food provided.

"Thanks for reminding me," KyuHyun said drily. The snake wasn't fairing much easier than Zhou Mi in terms of nerves, but at least he was holding it in better. "I'm still not sure what _I'm_ saying." He leaned against the wall nearby, wearing the referee's outfit and fussing with a glove.

"You'll both be fantastic," Han Geng chuckled, stepping up behind Zhou Mi and trying to massage the knots out of his shoulders. "Any tenser and you'd be a statue. You don't have to speak very loudly, just say it with confidence."

"Sometimes I think there's a chicken somewhere in Mi's ancestors," HeeChul smirked, earning himself a reproving look from Zhou Mi.

"I am not a chicken, this is just the first time I've ever had to get up in front of so _many_ people," Zhou Mi said, trying to relax his shoulders. "I'll probably just say whatever it is that the commissioner said last year, I have the notes here." He looked towards the door when there was a knock, one of the assistants poking his head in.

"Sorry to interrupt sir, but they're ready for the snake downstairs," the assistant said.

 _Already_ , KyuHyun wanted to ask, but sighed inwardly as he pushed away from the wall. He bowed his head to Zhou Mi. "You'll be fine, just say what comes to mind," he said in Mandarin before leaving the room to head down to his post on ground level.

Han Geng watched the door close after KyuHyun was gone. "He's right, you can do this Mi," he smiled at the nervous man.

"Right, I can do this," Zhou Mi nodded, turning away from the mirror and letting out a heavy sigh. "It's not that big of a deal, it's just a couple of lines. Nothing to be afraid of."

"Yeah, you've got the easy part," HeeChul said, popping a popcorn kernel into his mouth. "Imagine being KyuHyun right now. He's got to be in that ring for hours at a time, calling each round as they go _and_ keeping the crowd entertained. I would not want to be in his scales right now."

"KuiXian will do splendidly," Zhou Mi said, frowning at the rooster. "He's done this before, and he's quick on his feet. I have every confidence in him."

"So do we," Han Geng nodded. "We'll be able to see him on the breaks... The first break is around noon, yes? It's been a long time since I've watched any tournaments, and, well...the tournaments back in China aren't exactly the same."

"You aren't missing that much," Zhou Mi said, frowning. "I know full well how the tournaments back home are. The games here are... lenient compared to those. It's why my father left. No money to be made, just blood on your hands."

"And that's why I'm here and not there," Han Geng sighed, going to sit down on the couch next to HeeChul. "It's sad to think this could be lenient compared to anything, but...you've already been able to make improvements, KyuHyun won't have to be in the ring after the pre-tournament, right?"

"Yes and no, we've designed the stages so he has a place to stand that he won't get hurt," Zhou Mi said, going to the balcony to look down at the arena. "He'll be out of harm's way, but still close enough to see what's going on and intervene if he needs to."

"Better than the previous referees had it," Han Geng nodded. "Is he strong enough to hold his own against a fighter, though? If one turns on him, it could get ugly."

"He's been working on his element," Zhou Mi said. "He was already strong in it, but he's trained how to use it to subdue people if he needs to."

"Good..." Han Geng looked down at HeeChul before turning his attention towards the gathering crowd in the stands. "You haven't run into any...problems, so far?"

"Problems? No? Problems like what?" Zhou Mi blinked at him, moving away from the balcony to sit down.

"With the fighting houses," Han Geng clarified. "I can't imagine all of them are happy the former commissioner was removed."

"Ah, that," Zhou Mi sighed a little, resting his chin in hand. "Only one house has been very vocal about their unhappiness. The Jung house, of course. I know you've had to deal with him on occasion as well. Nothing I can't handle, the shareholders are actually in agreement with me about the changes I've made so far."

"There is one house owner I can't wait to see retire," Han Geng shook his head. "I'm glad you can handle him, he's well known in the senate...and not for any good reasons. I've run into his son a couple times too, he looks honestly embarrassed about his father sometimes."

"Yes, I've run into YunHo a few times myself," Zhou Mi said. "He's... cute? That's about as much as I know about him. His father doesn't let him handle much of the business yet so I haven't had a chance to have a conversation with him. He seems a nice enough kid though."

"He doesn't seem to be following in his father's footsteps exactly, which is something to be thankful for," Han Geng replied. "I wouldn't expect that house to turn into one like the Kim house anytime soon, but we can hope he'll be better for the industry than his father, when he finally does get control."

"...Is this all you two are going to talk about?"HeeChul sighed, stretching out. "This is boring, when are we starting?"

"Soon," Zhou Mi chuckled, getting back up to his feet. "I should probably get ready. I look okay?"

"You look great," Han Geng reassured, poking HeeChul's side for the comment. "Do you need me to do anything for you, Mi?"

"No, I think I can do this," Zhou Mi said, taking a deep breath. The cheering outside in the stands had risen in pitch, a sign the games were about to begin. All Zhou Mi had to do was step out onto the balcony and declare the games to begin, and then let KyuHyun take over. "Wish me luck," he said, stepping through the door and coming to the railing. 

He tried not to look at the giant screen that zoomed in on his face, looking around with a slightly forced smile as he waved. He turned on his mic and started to speak, all the nervousness washing away from his shoulders. "Welcome one and all to the annual Decerto pre-tournament! This year we hope to excite, thrill, and entertain you as you have never seen before. Allow me to introduce our referee for the season, please welcome KyuHyun!"

That was his cue. Down below in the ring, KyuHyun leapt up onto the large platform that was standard for the pre-tournament matches. Turning on his microphone, he looked up at the large screens just as they switched from Zhou Mi's face to his own.

 _Snakes aren't meant for public speaking,_ he thought to himself, drawing in a deep breath to calm down before lifting the microphone higher. This shouldn't be any different than chiming in during Zhou Mi's classes at the university. He had a job to do, and he wasn't going to let Zhou Mi down. "Thank you Games Commissioner Zhou Mi! First, a quick reminder of the tournament rules. For those who are attending for the first time, the tournament is divided into the pre-tournament and three stages, progressing in difficulty until only the best fighters remain. For this week, we bring you the pre-tournament! Here's your chance to see this year's fighters in action before the first stage, which begins next month." 

He found walking around helped with the nerves, so he did so, slowly looping around the edge of the platform before returning to the center. "The pre-tournament rules are as follows: fighters can enter in their human or half forms, with full access to their elements. A winner is declared when a fighter is either knocked out of the ring or otherwise unable to continue. Placement in the pre-tournament of course doesn't affect eligibility for the first stage."

He looked at the small piece of paper in his hand, listing the first matches of the morning. "Fighters are paired off at random, and the first matches of this round have been selected. To begin the Decerto pre-tournament, please join me in welcoming the Lee dog and the Hao boar!"  
The crowd roared, and Zhou Mi let out a small sigh of relief as he went to sit back down with Han Geng. Unlike the previous commissioner, he didn't want to sit right at the edge of the balcony. He could watch on the screens if he had to, but didn't want his entire attention on it. Making sure to turn his mic off, he grinned brightly at Han Geng. "Well? How was that?"

"I think...I'm glad I'm just worrying about the politics behind the scenes," Han Geng chuckled, shaking his head at the crowd cheering. He could see the gates opening on the screens, cameras focused on the approaching fighters. "Not bad for your first opening."

"Maybe next year I'll get a speech writer," Zhou Mi said, leaning back. "I have a good feeling Geng, this will work, I just know it."

"I hope so too," Han Geng smiled.

KyuHyun looked between the two fighters who had stepped onto the platform, leaving a good distance between them. "First fighter to knock his opponent off the platform wins. And begin!"

He stepped back quickly as the two fighters met in a clash of fists, the boar snarling. As they fought it out, KyuHyun did his best to keep both out of their way while staying close enough to call shots as they came. The referees had never had an active role in doing anything other than stopping infractions, the commentary something he and Zhou Mi had agreed to try out. In the middle of a brawl, KyuHyun couldn't tell what kind of impact it was having on the crowd, focusing solely on his job.

Zhou Mi couldn't tell whether people were actually listening to the commentary or not, the cheers rising at every hit. Maybe in time people would listen closer to what the referee was saying, but right now the crowd was more interested in hearing the grunts and snarls of the fighters.

"You know, I can see why people enjoy this," HeeChul said. "Watching two people beat each other into a bloody pulp, the sounds are amazing."

"...I do hope you're being sarcastic," Han Geng looked down at HeeChul.

The increased roar from the crowd made him look up. The dog had tossed the boar out of the ring, standing there at the edge panting.

"And the—" KyuHyun stopped talking when he realized he couldn't even be heard over the crowd. Waiting for the noise to lessen slightly, he thought of something, waving at the dog fighter to catch his attention.

When the other man approached, KyuHyun covered his microphone with his hand. "What's your name, anyways?"

"DongHae," the dog blinked at him.

KyuHyun's lips curled in a smirk, and when he could get a word in edgewise, he lifted the mic to his lips. "And the match goes to the Lee dog, DongHae!"

"... Now that is why I love him so much," Zhou Mi murmured, a wide smile forming. "Humanize the fighters, make people care about them by knowing their name. Oh, why didn't I think of that."

"Because he's smarter," HeeChul replied. "I'm not being sarcastic, this is fun," he turned to Han Geng with a frown. "Are we staying all day?"

"We'll stay for today," Han Geng chuckled, looking at Zhou Mi. "I'm sorry, but I'll be too busy to come most of the week. I'll try to be here for the final matches on Friday."

"Don't feel that you have to, I'm very grateful you came to support us on our first day," Zhou Mi said. "I'll have to do something very special for KuiXian when the tournament is over, he's doing far more than I am right now."

"You're both working hard," Han Geng shook his head. "Once the pre-tournament ends on Friday, I'm treating you both to dinner."

"Well I know he won't say no to that," Zhou Mi smiled, looking back up at the monitor. "Looks like the second match is starting. You know what the nice thing about being commissioner is? I'm not rooting for anyone to win, I just watch KuiXian. Sometimes the cameras get a good butt shot when he gets in the way."

Han Geng snorted, flushing slightly. "At least you'll be entertained," he shook his head, glancing towards the ring as KyuHyun started up the second match.

 

***************************

The pre-tournament finished without a hitch, Zhou Mi adjusting to his position as commissioner and KyuHyun to his as referee and commentator. With each match they went through, he made sure to ask the names of the winning fighters, memorizing them to the best of his ability. By the time the pre-tournament closed out that Friday, he knew most of the top fighters by name, and made sure they knew his.

But the Decerto tournament was far from over for that year. A month later, they found themselves back at the arena for the first stage of the _real_ tournament. Everyone knew who they would be up against, and had been honing their strategies for the month break. Now, all gloves were off.  
Han Geng and HeeChul had joined Zhou Mi for the third day of the tournament, Han Geng getting the day off. KyuHyun was fixing his boots in the corner; though he wouldn't be in the ring as he was for the pre-tournament, he still had to be ready to interfere at a moment's notice.

For his part, Zhou Mi wasn't as stressed out as he had been during the pretournament. Not only did the shareholders seem to approve of how he was handling the tournaments, but even some of the fighting houses had shown their support.

"Would you say the fighters like the changes made thus far?" Zhou Mi asked, glancing over at KyuHyun.

"Not sure about that, they still don't like me that much," KyuHyun chuckled. Some of the fighters such as DongHae had approached him on friendly terms during the pre-tournament, but the vast majority didn't trust him. "It's going to take more than a week's run of matches to get their approval." He adjusted the boot on his left foot before hopping back to his feet.

 

The snake had resumed a sort of training schedule since the pre-tournament so he wouldn't have as much trouble keeping up with the fighters. While he would always be on the lanky side and struggled to manage his asthma some days, KyuHyun was stronger than he'd ever been in the breeding house.

"It will take time, but I'm confident in your ability to talk to people," Zhou Mi said, side eyeing HeeChul who made a snorting noise at that.

"Scales doesn't talk to people, he scowls at them," the rooster said.

"I think you're mistaking me for you, feather-brain," KyuHyun stretched out his arms. "Well, I should be off," he looked at Zhou Mi. He had to be down by the ring, they were beginning soon.

"Stay safe," Zhou Mi said, walking over to the snake and putting his arms around his waist. "And watch out for that Jung dragon, I think he's coming up in one of todays matches."

"I'm not gonna be anywhere near the dragon, I'll be fine." KyuHyun returned the loose hold, lips quirked into a smirk. "Don't let HeeChul drive you batty." He leaned in to kiss Zhou Mi lightly.

"Too late," Zhou Mi replied quietly against KyuHyun's lips before letting him go. 

"I heard that," HeeChul muttered, crossing his arms. "Am I that intolerable?" he pouted up at Han Geng.

"Intolerable isn't a word I would use," Han Geng smiled. "You do enjoy driving people crazy though, you can't deny that."

Shaking his head, KyuHyun stepped towards the door. "See you at break." He left the commissioner's box.

 

"I only enjoy driving you crazy," HeeChul said, draping himself over Han Geng's lap. "Anyone else is collateral damage."

"Maybe you'd have more fun keeping the fighters company down below," Zhou Mi said, chuckling at the look of horror on the roosters face. "Just keep that in mind, this is my office after all."

"You must be bored out of your mind while we're not here though," Han Geng played with HeeChul's hair absently.

"I am, and I've got a whole month to look forward to," Zhou Mi said with a small sigh. "Maybe I should take up a hobby to keep myself occupied, like knitting or something."

HeeChul's eyes widened and he looked up at Han Geng with a scowl. "You told him, didn't you."

 

"Hm?" Han Geng blinked down at him. "No, I never told him anything," he said, lips quivering in amusement as he realized what the problem was.

"Told me what?" Zhou Mi blinked, looking between the two.

"You did too you big liar," HeeChul huffed, sitting up and crossing his arms. "Geng told you that I knit in my free time and now you're both making fun of me for it."

"...Geng didn't tell me anything," Zhou Mi replied, shaking his head. "And I wouldn't make fun of you for it, I've always wanted to learn to knit, would you teach me?"

"..." HeeChul sulked and looked away. "No, I don't want to."

Han Geng looked at Zhou Mi in a mix of amusement and exasperation. "I didn't tell him HeeChul, you did," he chuckled, shaking his head. "And it's nothing to be embarrassed about, I think it's interesting."

"Easy for you to say, you don't want to learn," HeeChul muttered. "Okay fine, I'll teach you. But only because if I don't you'll complain about being bored all the time and Geng doesn't need to hear you whining."

"Thank you HeeChul," Zhou Mi laughed. "Geng doesn't mind my 'whining', it's you that minds. Would I be able to steal him for a few days while you're working Geng?"

"Go right ahead, if he's okay with it then I am," Han Geng smiled. "Just keep an eye on him, okay?" He added in Mandarin. "He isn't out often without me."

 

"I'll make sure he stays safe," Zhou Mi replied back.

"That's it, Geng, teach me Mandarin," HeeChul said, hitting him in the arm. "All three of you turn to that nonsense language when you want to talk about me and I don't like it."

Yelping, Han Geng rubbed his arm. "But you never wanted to learn Mandarin before," he laughed, looking at HeeChul beside him. "What if I don't want to give up my 'nonsense' language?"

"Then you'll have to give up something else," HeeChul warned, wagging a finger at him. "No more talking about me behind my back, or in front of my face in this case."

"All right, all right," Han Geng chuckled, leaning back in the couch with his arm around HeeChul's shoulders.

The noise of the crowd picked up; they were starting. The giant monitors had turned on, panning around the elaborate field of stone ruins before arriving on KyuHyun. The snake was standing on a separate platform away from the main field, connected with a few pillars in case he had to intervene while providing him an eagle-eye view of the arena.

"Welcome back to another day of matches!" He called. The snake was still awkward in addressing the crowd, but was slowly improving as his confidence grew. "Eight teams will compete today, and only four will move on to the second stage of the tournament. Please join me in greeting our first two teams for the morning!"

He read off a list of names, having gotten all the fighters names beforehand. He could see the teams gathering at different ends of the arena, and frowned; the Jung dragon was among them. The dragon had been a neurotic mess in the pre-tournament, and KyuHyun couldn't blame him; the Jung master had creative ways to break his dragons.

"Fighters, take your positions," he called once all the names had been read. Four fighters for each team, and they looked evenly matched. " _Begin!_ "

"As much as I don't want to, I should watch this match," Zhou Mi said, actually getting up to go to the balcony. The monitors wouldn't stay on the dragon and Zhou Mi was worried. KyuHyun had told him about how erratic the fighter had been acting, and if there were any problems Zhou Mi was going to pull the dragon from the tournament. 

If only he had gone with his instinct. Not even five minutes into the match and Zhou Mi could tell there was a problem, the dragon had already taken out two of the opposing teams fighters. An ox and a tiger were left, but the dragon had the ox's scent and was barreling down on him. "Oh no," he breathed, eyes widening. The ox had met the dragon's charge, knocking the dragon out of its flight path and sending the Jung dragon slamming into a pillar that rocked slightly but stayed upright.

Something snapped inside the dragon; getting back up to his feet he let out a roar with a blast of white hot fire. The ox didn't get out of the way in time and was enveloped. Zhou Mi could hear the screams from where he was standing.

Feeling the heat wash over him even from where he stood, KyuHyun winced and stepped back, one arm up to shield his face. Clothing tore, stone crumbling in the arena as the dragon burst into it's full form. Suddenly a ten-foot tall dragon was in their midst. 

*****************************19

"Animal forms are off-limits!" KyuHyun called, voice echoing through the field. The dragon only listened so far as to tell someone was talking to him, turning towards KyuHyun with an enraged snarl.

When he found his path blocked by his teammates, the dragon turned on them instead, crushing a rat with one paw before unleashing a stream of fire. KyuHyun dropped onto his stomach to avoid getting caught by stray flames, hissing as his arm was singed. Reaching out, he slammed one fist against the emergency button to call for reinforcements; he couldn't stop a rampaging dragon on his own. 

"Where the hell is the security!" Zhou Mi was gripping the balcony tightly, feeling completely helpless while KyuHyun was in harm's way. The dragon's other teammates were scrambling to get out of his way as the dragon dive bombed onto a horse next, breaking the fighters back. That didn't stop him from slashing into his exposed back with teeth and claws, shredding him to pieces. Fortunately, the horse seemed to have already died on impact.

A tiger and another ox seemed to have decided to take matters into their own hands, both heading straight for the dragon in half animal form. The ox skidded to a halt, and stomped his foot into the stone below their feet. The arena shuddered as thick spikes launched upwards to pen the dragon in or skewer him. 

That only held the dragon for a few seconds before it charged through, shattering the stone spikes. He hit the ox with the full brunt of his tail, sending the ox head first into the wall where his head was crushed on impact.

Security had finally made it into the arena, but Zhou Mi didn't think they would get close enough to intervene in time to save the tiger who was circling around the dragon. The two fighters who had been knocked out earlier were starting to get up, and the tiger was keeping the dragon's attention by swiping at his heels and tail before dodging out of reach. 

A small stumble was all it took, the tiger tripping over a bit of rubble and the dragon was on top of him with his sharp claws and teeth.

Staggering back to his feet, KyuHyun looked down at the carnage below with ashen skin. He had to do something. Once the tiger was finished, those two fighters and quite possibly KyuHyun himself would be next to go. That dragon wouldn't stop until security took it out, but they couldn't get close enough to activate the safety restraints in the dragon's collar. 

Looking around, KyuHyun leapt off his platform onto a pillar nearby, stomping both feet into the pillar before moving onto the next. The pillar he'd hit first cracked in half all the way down, toppling over on top of the dragon who was still on the tiger.

The dragon roared in pain and turned around to see KyuHyun making his way down the line of pillars, breaking each one as he went. The dragon took the second one off the head and broke the third with a heavy paw. It had just drawn in breath to breathe fire when electricity crackled around it's neck, collar reacting. The dragon shrieked, writhing until darts found the soft flesh under it's jaw.

KyuHyun scrambled to another pillar as the dragon fell with an echoing crash, taking out the one he'd been on.

Security swarmed in, subduing the dragon with more tranquilizers until it finally shuddered and went limp. Zhou Mi let out the breath he'd been holding and turned away, already stalking towards the door. The media were going to be on him in seconds if he didn't act quickly. Poking his head out, one of his assistants shot up to his feet, the young man's eyes wide and trembling.

"Summon Master Jung to me immediately," he said, moving on to the other assistant when that one left. "Keep the media out, I'll be holding a press conference in two hours... and get KyuHyun up here." The girl nodded and left to carry out his orders.

"I think that tiger is still alive," HeeChul was saying quietly when Zhou Mi came back into the room. The cameras were still focused on the bodies inside the arena, the two alive fighters having been taken off and the dragon being dragged out of the arena.

Down below, KyuHyun hadn't moved from the pillar he'd landed on, trying to catch his breath and will his legs to move. When he felt like he could stand without falling off the pillar, he got back to his feet and carefully made his way down to ground level.

By the time he got there, someone was waiting for him. Listening to the instructions from Zhou Mi, KyuHyun nodded and turned on the microphone he'd somehow managed to keep a hold of. "Our apologies, but the next match of the morning has been delayed until further notice," he said, breathing in deeply. "We will provide you with when matches will resume as soon as we can." He turned off the microphone and turned his attention to the arena, hand over his nose against the smell of blood.

The tiger was lying not that far away. Cautious about finding a mangled body, KyuHyun slowly crept up. There was blood, but not the gore he'd been expecting. The snake knelt down beside the tiger, checking for a pulse.

When he found it, his eyes widened. "Hey!" He called, waving down security. "This one's still alive!"

He didn't move until someone arrived with a stretcher to take the tiger to urgent care. Once the fighter was gone, KyuHyun looked around. There was no point checking the other fighters; he could see even from where he was that they were never getting back up again. He shuddered, shoulders hunched as he made his way out of the arena and back up towards Zhou Mi's box. His burned arm was starting to throb painfully once the adrenaline left his system.

" _KuiXian_ ," Zhou Mi had engulfed the snake in a hug the moment he came in and the doors were closed. "Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes wide in worry when he pulled back and looked KyuHyun up and down. "I knew that damn dragon... We'll get you to the medic as soon as we can okay?"

Nodding mutely, KyuHyun let Zhou Mi fuss over him, still in a small amount of shock. "I'll be fine...the tiger's alive, at least. The dragon snapped completely, who is even capable of driving a dragon insane like that?"

"Master Jung, that's who," Han Geng said quietly. The Chinese man had been silent since the dragon started rampaging, expression set in anger. "I'm sorry Zhou Mi, if I'm here when that man comes in I might not be able to resist punching him."

"Unfortunately, you're not alone," Zhou Mi said, looking over at Han Geng. "Maybe it would be better if you went to one of the viewing boxes to wait, or go home if you would rather. Geng... I have very little power over him, he's the strongest fighting house. Something needs to be done about him, and it may have to come politically."

"I know," Han Geng breathed in deeply. "I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise miracles. Come on, HeeChul." He stepped towards the door. "We'll be back later."

HeeChul stopped in front of KyuHyun, his brow pinched and eyes uneasy. "... I'm glad you're okay," he said quietly, touching the snakes uninjured arm gently before following after Han Geng out the door.

"Master Jung will be here any moment, do you want to be here when he arrives?" Zhou Mi asked KyuHyun.

"I'm not leaving you here alone with that asshole," KyuHyun replied, looking back at Zhou Mi. He rested his forehead lightly against Zhou Mi's shoulder, closing his eyes. "They call us monsters, but who is the real monster? The dragon, or the one who broke him?"

"You're not a monster," Zhou Mi said, putting his arm around KyuHyun and rubbing his back lightly. "I just wanted to give you the opportunity to leave while you could. There's no telling what that man will say or do." He frowned at the knock on the door and slowly pulled away from KyuHyun but not before giving him a light kiss. "Come in," he said as sternly as he could.

KyuHyun stepped to the side as Master Jung stepped into the office. He was shadowed by his son YunHo, who was carefully keeping out of his father's way. It was obvious the younger Jung saw KyuHyun's injury, meeting the snake's eyes before looking down.

"Yes?" Master Jung's smile was more of a sneer, directed at Zhou Mi.

Standing up as straight as he could, Zhou Mi's expression was hard as he looked at the older man, rage boiling deep under the surface. "Master Jung, I'm awaiting an explanation. Four fighters were slaughtered in the ring, most of them on your dragons team. What do you have to say for it?"

"Fighters die all the time, if they could be taken out so easily then they never had a place in this tournament to begin with," the older man replied, completely unapologetic. "As for the dragon, I've already arranged for it to be put down before it infects the rest of my stock."

"Infects? Rampages are not a disease, Master Jung," Zhou Mi said, crossing his arms. "It's a response to the type of care Signs endure. Since your house is legendary for its rampaging dragons then I would say that you have no business training them." Sitting down at his desk, he pulled out a folder and began to jot some things down onto a paper inside. "There are rules in place to keep the weaker fighters from being slaughtered like that, rules like a fighter must stay in human or half form in the first two tiers. Since your fighter has broken the rules, you will be fined for compensating each house for their losses of stock."

"Very well," Master Jung sneered. "And you have no business interfering with my training, commissioner, it would be in your best interest to keep your comments to yourself. The fine will be paid, although your predecessor would have never bothered with a useless rule like that." 

"Fortunately for me, I am not him," Zhou Mi replied evenly. "It's not my business how you train your fighters no, but it is my business how they conduct themselves in my arena. It would be good of you to remember that in the future. I will have the paperwork sent to your room for paying the fine. You're dismissed."

"And do not forget who I am. The shareholders will tire of you within the year." the older man turned and left. YunHo hesitated, bowing his head politely to Zhou Mi before turning to follow his father.

KyuHyun closed the door after them. "And good riddance to rubbish."

Zhou Mi visibly deflated, rubbing at his eyes. "What if he's right, and the shareholders tire of me?" he asked quietly. "I actually wouldn't be surprised if they get rid of me tomorrow after what happened in the arena."

"Hey. There's no way you could have stopped that dragon, they're not that unreasonable." KyuHyun stepped up beside Zhou Mi. "And we're going to do our best to make sure it doesn't happen again, right? Security needs to be on the scene faster, it was a slaughterhouse down there."

"Yes... we'll need to do something about security," Zhou Mi agreed, looking up at KyuHyun. "At the very least, you weren't down in there. None of them stood a chance, and that tiger is lucky to be alive after being mauled. Do you know what his name is?"

"He was...I had his name down, he won the pre-tournament..." KyuHyun rubbed his temple. "HyunJoong, I think."

"What house is he from?" Zhou Mi asked, tilting his head a little. "His injuries were extensive, I worry that his owner would put him down rather than let him heal. He's a strong fighter."

"He was in the Bae house," the snake frowned. "What would you do, talk with the owner?"

"Yes, I want to make sure the tiger isn't put down unnecessarily," Zhou Mi said. "There's been enough needless death today. I need to get things in order for the press release, and then we can go home. The tournament isn't going to resume until tomorrow."

 

"Okay," KyuHyun nodded, looking towards the ring. "Do you want me to go down there and announce it?" The snake coughed into his hand, still trying to catch his breath.

"No, you've done enough today," Zhou Mi said, getting to his feet. "I'll do it myself."

KyuHyun blinked. "Okay." He stepped back so Zhou Mi could move. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Sit, and catch your breath," Zhou Mi said, touching his shoulder gently before heading towards the balcony with a microphone. People were still in the stands, waiting for the tournament to continue. Zhou Mi sighed deeply before turning on the mic. "Ladies and gentleman, may I have your attention," he said, seeing the monitors swivel to his face. "Please accept my humblest apologies on behalf of the gaming commission and all the fighting houses. Today's matches for the rest of the day have been postponed until tomorrow. I hope you all understand and share with me in my grief over today's events. Thank you."

He turned away and came back into the office, hearing the jeers from the audience. Whether it was for his words in particular or the postponement of the matches he wasn't sure. "You need anything KuiXian? Some water?"

 

Coughing, KyuHyun nodded slightly as he found his inhaler, sitting down. "I inhaled a ton of dust. They don't sound very happy." He took his medication, coughing more.

"Didn't expect they would be," Zhou Mi said, going to the bar. He filled a glass of water from the sink before bringing it over to KyuHyun. "I'm more resolved than ever to continue with this though, especially with how Master Jung was acting towards me. He is one of the main reasons why what we're doing is so important. Too many people think like him."

Nodding, KyuHyun sipped at the water, silent for a long moment as he tried to relax. "They're not used to seeing deaths in the ring as anything other than a money loss. We've got a lot of work ahead of us."

"We do, but this is just the beginning," Zhou Mi said. "It'll get better. It has to."

********************************************

Summer came and went far too fast. KiBum had been invited to Henry's place over the break again, and though he was worried about taking away all his friend's time with his family, he was assured he was welcome. During the break, they talked a lot about what they'd begun in the university the previous year.

Their weekly discussions about Signs and slavery were slowly gaining attention, students trickling in and out. Many came in for one meeting and left; others stayed. The discussion groups went from being just him and Henry, to five people, then to ten. By the time school had let out, fifteen people came in and out of the discussion group as they could.

But KiBum got the feeling they weren't really taking the whole thing seriously enough, like this was just something to spend their time with and they'd forget as soon as they graduated. He had to make sure what they learned about Signs stuck. And after a long discussion with Henry, he was sure he had the answer to their problem.

The second month of their third year, their discussion group didn't meet in their usual borrowed lecture hall at the end of class hours. Instead, he asked all the students who could attend to meet him at a specific address in Bucheon.

Standing outside the breeding house, KiBum looked around at the group of people who'd managed to come. He'd wait a few more minutes before starting. Henry wasn't with him; they both agreed it was better for the half-Sign to sit this one out.

 

"I'm coming, wait for me!" A voice called from further up the street. A figure bundled up in a coat and hat skidded to a stop, cheeks red from the early chill in the air and the running down the sidewalk. "I'm here," the kid panted, pulling off his hat to run a hand through his blond hair. "Sorry for being late."

Blinking, KiBum chuckled at the sudden appearance. "Hi, Kevin! Was wondering if you'd make it." He looked around the small group. Less people than he'd thought would turn out, but there was no hope for it, he'd have to work with what he had. "Guess everyone's busy."

"Yeah, mid term exams and everything," Kevin nodded. He finally got a look at where they were and he blinked a little. "What are we doing?" 

"We're going on a field trip," KiBum said, lips pressed together thinly. "I arranged for a, uh...walkthrough of the place." He said this loud enough for the others nearby to hear, the group falling silent to listen. It had taken a bit of string-pulling to get access; commonly visitors to the breeding houses were never let in past the viewing gallery. "I take it no one here has ever seen the inside of a breeding house?"

"No, why would we have?" Someone asked. "They don't really let people in past the lobby."

"Not unless you're buying, and even then it's just a room," Kevin said. " _Why_ are we going through a breeding house?"

"Because I think this is important for you to see," KiBum looked at him. "I'm going to be perfectly honest in saying _I've_ never been through a breeding house either. But we've been talking about Signs all this time, and yet no one has ever stopped to really think about where these people are for the first fifteen years of their lives. There are _children_ in there, and no one knows anything about them. If you want to stop here and leave, I'm not going to convince you to stay...but I hope you'll walk in there with me to find out more about those kids."

Kevin looked around, a couple people looking uneasy. "Well I'm with you KiBum," Kevin spoke up first. "I mean, if we really want to do something to help, then we should know more about Signs." 

KiBum smiled at Kevin thankfully. He'd have at least one person with him then. "Great...let's go then. Anyone who's coming along, follow me." He turned to head to the main doors, scared to look behind him to see how many people would actually follow and how many would think he was crazy.

"Yeah, anyone who wants to see what life is really like for these people and not want to keep turning a blind eye, follow him," Kevin said, making a face at some of the others who were balking. He followed KiBum, as well as the rest into the lobby.

KiBum looked around, seeing a secretary sitting at a desk to one side. He stepped up to the desk. "Hi, my name's Kim KiBum, I had an appointment to view the facilities," he said calmly.

She looked up at him, taking in the group of people standing in the lobby and frowning lightly. "Hold on, a representative will be here to speak with you shortly," she said, standing and disappearing through a door in the back.

KiBum smiled back at Kevin lightly. "Thanks," he said quietly in English.

"No problem," Kevin returned the smile, rubbing his hands together a little. "Figured they would need a little push."

Chuckling, KiBum turned back towards the desk as a middle-aged man appeared with the secretary. She took her seat again as the representative approached KiBum. 

"Kim KiBum sshi, we met last week," even the man's smile sent shivers down KiBum's spine, even as he bowed politely, a move the man copied. "Are you and your classmates certain you would like the full tour? I can bring the Signs to the viewing gallery for your convenience."

"We would prefer the full tour," KiBum smiled politely. "I brought with me your manager's consent if you would like to see it?"

He pulled the slip of paper with the house's seal on it out of his bag, the representative looking at it and humming. After a moment, the paper was handed back. "Of course, follow me." He turned towards the doors heading into the back of the breeding house.

"How did you get permission to do this?" Kevin asked KiBum as they started through the doors. "I mean, they don't let just anyone to the kennels."

"My family has ties with a couple of the breeding houses," KiBum looked back at Kevin. "It took a bit of maneuvering, but they can't really afford losing the business of a large fighting house." 

"Oh... but..." Kevin looked confused at that. "If your family is, then why are you doing this?" he asked, voice lowering a little. "Wouldn't that hurt your family?"

KiBum quietened. Yes, this would have a very good chance of hurting his family. HyungJoon was back home managing the whole business himself, and here KiBum was trying to turn the whole slavery industry on it's head. "…Some things are just too important, not many, but some." He looked at Kevin beside him. "I think this is one of those things." 

"You really think so?" Kevin looked around at the hallway they were walking down. The walls looked sickly and the air smelled stale. "This place is disgusting."

"It is," KiBum murmured, eyeing around them. He could hear the other students behind them whispering to themselves, drawing similar conclusions about the place.

"Here is where the signs stay in their down time," they were shown by the representative to a shabby room crammed with six beds. KiBum absently thought his dorm room was bigger than this. "The stocks are separated by age and sign." The beds in this room were very small; child-sized. A small lump in the farthest bed from the door confirmed that thought, a small body curled up with the sheets over her head. 

They moved from room to room, being shown bigger and smaller rooms with as many beds as could be crammed into the tight spaces. "Where is everyone?" Kevin asked, having only seen a handful of Signs.

"In training," the representative said. "We'll go there next to give you a demonstration."

KiBum frowned to himself. The back of the breeding house seemed to have just enough room for the Signs not to have to climb over each other. He hadn't seen any sign of toys yet, or any way for the Signs to occupy themselves besides sleeping. He hoped that would change farther on, but didn't have much hope of it.

"How old are the Signs here?" he asked.

"Three to eighteen, those under three are housed in a separate facility with the breeders," was his answer, and KiBum tried not to grind his teeth at calling the mothers 'breeders'.

Arriving at the training areas, they were greeted by the sight of dozens of Signs broken up into smaller groups, some separated by walls. A group of boys who barely looked ten brawled nearby, tiger ears, tails and claws out. Each group was watched by a supervisor. 

Seeing children trying to tear each other apart was too much for some members of the group, asking to be shown out. "You hear about these things going on, but don't really think about it," Kevin said, arms crossed and pointedly looking away. "Everyone should know about this."

Pale, KiBum nodded. He was unable to look away like the others, seeing the unhealthy thinness of some of the children, and the various bruises, scrapes and cuts they all seemed to bear. One boy in the far corner, a seven-year-old boar from the looks of it, was being chastised for taking an unscheduled breather and put right back in the middle of his yearmates.

"There's a reason no one sees the back of the breeding houses," he whispered, horrified. This was why.

A choked cry rang out across the room. A dog who must have been the runt of his litter was curled up on the floor, shaking. KiBum could see the unnatural twist to his arm from here.

"We've seen enough," he turned away finally. 

They were led back to the front lobby, the others dispersing almost immediately and leaving Kevin and KiBum by themselves. "I don't know if any of those people will come back," Kevin said, his eyes tight in worry. "They're probably content to let things just stay as they are, just so they don't have to think about what they saw."

KiBum still hadn't recovered from training room, the image of the child on the floor with a broken arm and no one trying to help him burned into the back of his mind. "Probably," he said quietly, watching the last of the group disappear as they left the breeding house. "But how am I supposed to ignore this, when my own family is encouraging it? Those are children, little kids who should be worrying about cooties and who ate the last candy bar, not broken arms and bruises." 

"I don't think you should ignore it," Kevin said, touching KiBum's arm and smiling at him. "I won't ignore it. Even if they don't come back, I will. And you and me and Henry... wait, why isn't Henry here?"

"Uh…he's a little sensitive about the breeding houses, it was better for him not to come," KiBum smiled a little in return. "That means a lot to me. I wasn't sure if what I was doing was the right thing, but…after seeing that, I know it wasn't a wrong choice." 

"I can tell you it's not something I'm every going to forget," Kevin said, shoulders shuddering. "Why don't we go and get something to eat, maybe figure out how to get more people who are willing to learn and not just because they want another club to join."

KiBum nodded in agreement. "I passed a decent-looking place on the way here," he turned to head down the sidewalk, walking beside Kevin with his hands in his pockets. "It would be amazing if we could…talk to people from different schools, across campuses…maybe find more people that way. But if we can't even get a good enough following in this school, there wouldn't be much of a point." 

"We'll just take it one step at a time," Kevin said. "That's really all we can do. You know, I have some friends at one of the other universities just outside of the city. They might be interested in hearing what you have to say."

"Really?" KiBum looked at Kevin beside him. His lips quirked after a moment. "If you think so, I'd be glad to meet them. Why did you decide to check out the club, anyways?" 

"Because... it felt like the right thing to do?" Kevin said, his brow furrowing for a moment. He looked like he was going to say something else but just looked back at KiBum with a smile. "And it is."

KiBum's smile widened. "Yeah. It is." He nudged Kevin's side lightly. "Food first, planning later. Henry will be pissed if he's left out." 

"Sounds good, though will he be mad we got food without him?" Kevin blinked.

"….Yes," KiBum snorted. "We'll bring him back something." 

It was close to two hours later when Kevin and KiBum returned to the dorms, Kevin heading back to his own since it was getting late and he had homework to do still. He did stop in to say hi to Henry, who was absently doodling on a sketch pad when they came in. He perked up at the food they brought back and tore into it. 

"So," Henry said around a mouthful of food, "how'd it go?"

KiBum sat down on his bed, kicking his feet back and forth. "Probably scared away half of the people who showed up," he sighed. "I don't know what I was expecting of the breeding houses, but however I thought they were, actually seeing it was…way worse. Kevin's agreed to help with the planning though, and might be able to give us some links to people in other schools who think the same way." 

"That's... good, that's great," Henry said. "Kevin seems like a nice guy, I hope he comes around more often. You could use more friends."

"Hey, I've already got a tiger best friend, what more could I need?" KiBum snorted, reaching over for a pad of paper and a pencil on his desk. He was falling behind in his homework with all the time spent worrying about the club. 

"Yeah, but it's good to have friends here," Henry said. "Um... there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" KiBum blinked, looking up at him. 

"I decided... I'm not coming back to school next semester," Henry said, not looking up at KiBum. "And I'm really sorry."

It took a moment for that to sink in, KiBum's eyes slowly widening. "…What? But…why?" 

"Don't get me wrong, this is a great school, and you are the best friend a guy could ask for," Henry said, finally looking up at KiBum. "But... you going to that breeding house today made it kind of real for me what's going on here. I'm scared every day of being found out. The school's administration knows, and they've done so much to help me, but I just can't do it anymore. If I had gone to that breeding house today, those kids in there would have been able to smell me, and they'd have known. If they would have said something to me, then all those people in the club would know, and then the whole school and I just don't want to do anything to make it harder on you here."

"Henry…" KiBum swallowed, looking down. He gathered his thoughts even as his heart sunk in his chest. "No…this isn't about me, or the club. This is about you, and I'm sorry you don't feel safe here," he said quietly, looking up again. "And you're right not to feel safe. I want to change that, because it's not fair…but I don't know if I would have lasted this long in your shoes." 

"I had you, and that meant more to me than you know," Henry said. "I wouldn't have lasted a semester if I had anyone else as my roommate. I really don't want to leave, the program here is amazing... but if I get too comfortable and let my ears slip... I don't know what people would do to me."

KiBum was silent; he wanted to say he would protect Henry no matter what, but he couldn't be around Henry all the time. And he knew just how people here would react to a half-Sign in their midst.

Inhaling deeply, he tried a small smile. "I'm going to make this better," he said. "No matter what, I'm not going to stop until Signs are free. When we have our first Liberation Day parade…will you visit?" 

"Of course," Henry smiled at that, laughing a little as he looked down at his hands. "And you know that you can always come visit me in Canada. You're my best friend KiBum, and I'm sorry. I wish you could just come home and go to school with me."

"My English isn't that good," KiBum smiled ruefully. "You're my best friend too…you don't have to apologize, I understand. Doesn't mean I won't miss you, but well, I'll just have to work harder to make it safe for you to come back." 

"I'll miss you too," Henry said, leaning back against the wall. "But hey, I'm not leaving for a while so don't get all mushy on me right now."

"I'm not mushy," KiBum grumbled, throwing a pillow at Henry. "I'll have to send a letter to Amber and tell her it's her turn to keep an eye on your furry ass. Not that she isn't already." 

"Yah, I don't like what you're implying there," Henry grumbled, swatting the pillow away. "We're just friends."

"Sure, sure," KiBum laughed. "So it wouldn't bother you at all if she found some cute, tall bunny to fawn over. I think she mentioned there was a cute guy in one of his classes…" 

Henry visible stiffened at that and he turned away to flop down on his bed. "Yeah well, she's allowed to do whatever she wants, she can date... if she wants. It's not like we're dating, or anything. Why are we talking about this?"

"Because you're going to leave me here with no one to tease, so I gotta make good use of the time I have," KiBum smirked. "And if you haven't told her you're madly in love with her by the time I come visit, I'm recruiting your sister to lock you both in a closet." 

"I'm not madly in love with her," Henry said, though his expression dim. "She's just a friend. She doesn't see me that way so it's no use in bringing it up all the time okay?"

"How do you know?" KiBum asked, stretching out on his bed and looking up at the ceiling. "Have you _asked_ her?" 

"Well... no," Henry responded, looking over at KiBum. "She's been my friend since we were kids, we have fun. If she saw me as anything more than a friend she would have said something. You've met her, she doesn't hold back anything. That and she thinks I'm gay!"

"That was your sister's fault," KiBum laughed. "Plus it took me those summer months to figure out you North Americans don't act friendly the same way we do, so that might have been my fault too." 

"I really could kill her," Henry muttered. "Amber and I are friends, she's at school in California, I'll be going back home to Canada to decide what to do... by the time I get to talk to her... She probably has a boyfriend or something. I just don't want to make her uncomfortable."

"Suit yourself," KiBum wrinkled his nose. "Hey…let's go to an arcade or something after. If you're not too busy studying." He was dreading the end of the semester now. 

"Sure!" Henry popped up off the bed, rummaging around for a clean shirt to wear. "You know, that Kevin kid is nice, I hope he comes by more."

"Yeah, I hope so too." KiBum sat up. "I'm glad today got through to at least one person…going there wasn't a waste." 

"Maybe the others will come around, let it sink in a couple of days before writing them off," Henry said, sniffing two shirts before selecting one to put on. "But hey, you've got two people now who support you and what you're doing, it's a start."

KiBum stopped himself from pointing out that one of those two people would be leaving in a couple months; it wasn't fair to make Henry even more guilty than he already felt. "Yeah, it is. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky. Maybe some popular school star will join the club and recruit like a hundred people," he snorted, standing and stretching out. 

"Because we know popular school stars?" Henry rolled his eyes. "Let's just focus on one person at a time. Quality over quantity right?"

"Right," KiBum chuckled. "Ready to go? There's a dart board with my name on it." 

"More like your face," Henry sniffed, pushing at KiBum's shoulder. "You haven't beat me at darts once yet."

"That's because you're a cheat," KiBum retorted, shoving Henry back before pushing him towards the door. 

"Am not a cheat, I just have better hand eye coordination," Henry replied, opening the door and heading out first. "Face it KiBum, I'm just better than you."

"Then tell me why you were whining to me about not helping you with math a week ago," KiBum answered, grinning. He'd miss this when Henry was gone…Henry was his best friend, no one would ever replace him. But he'd just add Henry to the list of reasons why what he was doing was the right thing…even if it meant going against his family. Some things were just too important to back down on. 

********************20

Saying goodbye to Henry at the Toronto Pearson Airport was one of the hardest things KiBum had to do in a while. He'd been invited back to Canada with his best friend for the winter holiday this time, and leapt at the opportunity to spend a little more time with the half-tiger. But all good things did have to come to an end, and he could only delay his return to Korea for so long. School was starting, and if he waited much longer he would miss the beginning of the semester.

Jetlagged and more than a little depressed, KiBum rolled his luggage down the dormitory hallway towards his room. He was sure he would get along fine with whoever he had for a roommate this time, but his new roommate would never be able to top Henry. 

Realizing he'd gone right by his room number, KiBum blinked and doubled back. He fished out the key for the door and unlocked it, pushing the door open. 

There was someone else in the room, but it wasn't KiBum's new roommate. The goat shot up off of the bed and bowed low. The goat didn't say anything, his frame trembling slightly as he stayed in the bowed position.

Stopping in the doorway, KiBum blinked repeatedly at the goat. Backing out of the room, he checked the door number. Yes, this was his room. But who was…

"…Hi?" he asked, bringing his luggage inside. He couldn't see the other man's face like this. His new roommate was a slave owner, great. "Uh…I guess you're here with whoever my roommate is, right?" 

"Yes sir," the goat replied, nose still pointed at his toes. "Master will be back shortly. Master said I am too take care of your needs. Do you require anything of me?"

"…You can stop bowing for one." KiBum was liking this less and less. "I don't need anything, it's fine. I'm KiBum, what's your name?" 

"My name is SooHyun, sir," the goat said, finally standing up straight. His eyes were lowered though, and his expression neutral. "Of course you may call me anything you like."

"You're…" It took a moment for KiBum's mind to catch up with the situation, and realize just who this goat was and where he'd seen him before. "Oh! Oh, I remember you." That meant…his roommate was that miserable excuse for a human being. Well, crap.

How was he supposed to get through a week, let alone the year?

"If your name's SooHyun, I'll call you that." KiBum rolled his bags to the foot of his bed. "Uh… I'll just be unpacking." 

"Yes sir," SooHyun said, following KiBum with his eyes. "I'll be here if you need me for anything, sir."

"Please…please don't call me sir," KiBum winced, looking back at SooHyun as he went to close the door. "It's just KiBum." 

That confused SooHyun, and he frowned slightly. "But... I'm not allowed to call someone by their name sir. If Master hears..." his ears perked up and he looked towards the door, immediately bowing low again.

Standing in the doorway was SooHyun's owner, blinking a little between the two. "Hi, you must be the new roommate," he said, giving KiBum a once over. I see you've met Useless here."

"…" Oh, this was not going to go over well. "Yes, I've met SooHyun," KiBum said, smile forced. "My name's KiBum, and yours is…?" 

"JaeSoo," the other replied. "Look, I don't think we'll be seeing much of each other. My father owns half the school and insists on giving me a dorm because it "looks good" or whatever, but I don't stay here. I'll be gone for the next month, going to Europe with some friends."

"Okay," KiBum nodded, trying not to sound relieved. Just the attitude coming from the guy was going to piss him off, let alone how he referred to SooHyun. "I guess I'll be seeing you and SooHyun when you get back." 

"Oh, I can't bring Useless with me," JaeSoo said with a snort. "You'll have to take care of him while I'm gone, make sure he doesn't burn the place down or get himself killed. He's kind of an idiot, but he gives good blow jobs if you're horny and desperate. Feel free to help yourself, he doesn't mind, do you goat?"

"No, master," SooHyun said, hands clasped tightly in front of him.

"See?" JaeSoo smirked, grabbing his bag from the floor and rifling through it. "Just don't hit him too much, he cries like a baby. Okay, looks like I'm off. See you in a month." JaeSoo left the room with a wave, closing the door behind him.

Staring at the door, KiBum barely restrained himself going after the arrogant asshole and punching him in the face. Jaw clenching and unclenching, KiBum dropped onto his bed with a groan and covered his face with his hands. "This was a stupid, stupid idea, why couldn't I just take Henry's offer and stay in Canada." 

"Do you require anything of me, sir?" SooHyun asked, still standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

"No…no," KiBum sighed, looking up. "I'm sorry, you can go back to…whatever it was you were doing before I got here. And it doesn't look like that ass's going to be around, so you don't have to worry about calling me 'sir' or anything like that." 

"Yes, sir," SooHyun replied, sitting down on the other bed and staring at the wall. He didn't say anything, sitting completely still.

Biting his lower lip to keep from saying something he might regret, KiBum sighed and set about unpacking. The simple actions helped him calm down. Approaching this in anger wouldn't do either of them any good.

"You didn't get into trouble, did you?" he asked after a few minutes of silence. "That last time we met." 

SooHyun turned his attention to KiBum, a slightly puzzled expression. "Sir? I'm sorry, I don't remember us meeting before... did I do something wrong?"

"Oh…well I guess you wouldn't remember," KiBum rubbed the back of his head. "I ran into you, uh…wow, I guess it was more than a year ago. Nearly took you out on the stairs cause I wasn't watching where I was going. I just wanted to make sure you weren't in trouble with that guy." 

"He didn't hit me too hard, if that's what you're wondering," SooHyun said. "I make a lot of mistakes. Master says I need to be hit so I'll learn, but I'm just stupid."

"…What?" KiBum looked back at the goat, eyes wide. "No, no one ever needs to be hurt to learn anything. And you're not stupid, don't think that." 

"My master says I am, and my master is right," SooHyun said. "Master is always right. That's why he's a master and I'm a slave. Signs are stupid compared to humans."

KiBum shook his head, biting his lower lip. "No…you're wrong, Signs are just as smart as humans." He sat down heavily on his bed. "Smarter, even. Humans are just too ignorant to see it." 

SooHyun didn't seem to understand what KiBum was saying, but there was a small flicker of fear in his expression. "I'm sorry sir, I shouldn't disagree with you," he said, kneeling down and resting his forehead on the floor.

"What? No, no…" KiBum shook his head harder, slipping off the bed and kneeling in front of the goat. "Don't…don't do that, SooHyun. You don't ever have to bow to me, or apologize for anything. I should be apologizing to you." 

"I deserve to be punished for disagreeing with you, sir," SooHyun said.

"No!" KiBum stood up again and backed away, pushing his hands through his hair. He couldn't do this…he couldn't stand in front of someone while they said such horrible things as though it was the truth. "I'm never going to punish you…never," he said, inhaling deeply as he looked at the wall. "And I won't let anyone else hurt you again." 

"...Sir?" SooHyun risked a look up, slowly sitting back onto his knees. "You're upset with me, I'm sorry... please, I'll be good, I promise. What can I do? What do you want me to do?"

"I don't want you to do anything you don't want to," KiBum said quietly, not looking back at the slave. "I don't want you to be _afraid_ of me." 

"I'm not afraid of you sir, you will take care of me," SooHyun said. "And I will take care of you."

KiBum looked over his shoulder at the goat. He swallowed and exhaled slowly, thinking. "I don't need someone to take care of me…but you do." Turning around, he slowly walked back to sit on his bed. "Here…sit beside me," he patted the space beside him. 

SooHyun blinked at him for a moment before getting up to his feet and moving towards the bed. When he sat down, he touched his fingers to the buttons on his shirt. "Do you want me to undress, sir?"

"Huh?" KiBum's eyes widened and he shook his head, waving his hands a little. "No, no. Clothes stay on. Both our clothes. I just wanted to talk to you, and it's hard when you've got your head pressed to the floor." 

"Oh... of course, sir," SooHyun said, looking at him with wide attentive eyes. "I will listen."

"…" KiBum sighed. "Okay…so, we're here alone for a month. I have class most times during the week, but that still leaves the weekend. Is there anything you want to do? Any…games you like playing? Food? Places you want to go?" 

"I... will do what sir wants to do?" SooHyun replied, his brow furrowed.

"KiBum," KiBum corrected. "My name's KiBum. And I'm not really talking about what I want to do. Let's see…" He tried to think of a better way to say it. "Imagine, uh…you were free. No collar, no master, no people to please or anywhere you had to be. You have money to do whatever you want. What would you do?" 

SooHyun looked down at the question, obviously mulling it over. "I... would eat a flower," he said, looking up at KiBum again. "Is that the right answer, sir?"

Blinking repeatedly, KiBum managed not to laugh. "A flower?" He couldn't help the wide curl of his lips though. Well, a goat was a goat after all. "If that's something that you want to do, and can't right now, then sure. It's an answer. There's no 'right' or 'wrong' answers, and you don't have to say just one thing." KiBum stretched out his arms. "I don't think we'd find any flowers outside in this weather, but…oh, I know. I only have a morning class on Tuesday. We'll go to one of the greenhouses after and find you some flowers, how does that sound?" 

"Why?" SooHyun asked. "Do you need to go to the greenhouse? Do you have a class there?"

"No?" KiBum shook his head. "You said you wanted to eat flowers, didn't you? We're bound to find some nice ones at the park." 

"I... don't understand" SooHyun said, brow furrowed. "We're going to the park because... you want me to eat flowers?"

"No, we're going because _you_ want to eat a flower," KiBum tried to explain. "What I want to do, is let you do whatever _you_ want to do." 

"Oh... well, if that's what you want to do," SooHyun said, nodding a little. "And what is it you want me to do for you?"

"Nothing," KiBum smiled at the goat. "Consider this a vacation from people ordering you around. This month, you just worry about yourself, okay?" 

SooHyun looked more than confused at that, leaning back a little to give KiBum a confused look. "Vacation...? Sir, I'm a slave. I do what you tell me. There is nothing else for me to worry about, just you."

KiBum's smile was a little strained. "Here's something you should probably know about me, SooHyun. To me, Signs aren't slaves. I see Signs the same as humans…you can just change form, where we're kinda stuck with one. I'm never going to order you around, or make you do something I can't do myself, or do anything to hurt you. I'll talk to you and treat you exactly the same as I would to one of my friends." 

"If you don't give me orders sir, I won't know what to do," SooHyun said, his hands trembling. "And master won't like that I wasn't helpful, or did what I was supposed to. I _have_ to take care of you sir."

"SooHyun, your master's not here," KiBum said quietly. "He doesn't ever have to know. If he asks me, I'll tell him you were an amazing help and did everything I asked you to…which wouldn't be a lie." 

"But what am I supposed to _do_?" SooHyun asked, eyes wide.

"Whatever you want to do," the human chuckled. "Let me…oh, I know. An example. My older brother has a personal slave, a rabbit named KyuJong. Whenever my brother isn't asking him to do things, KyuJong has a hobby; he gardens. If you could ever see the garden back home…it's the most beautiful garden in all of Korea, hands-down. We can find you some hobbies too, something you'll enjoy. How does that sound?" 

"Master wouldn't want me to have a hobby," SooHyun said, looking away. "I'm always needed, Master always wants me doing something for him or whoever he leaves me with. Why are you doing this to me?"

KiBum bit his lower lip. "Because you deserve better than this," he replied quietly. "Far better." He looked down before sighing. "Just think about it, okay?" 

"Yes sir, if that's what you want me to do," SooHyun said. "But... I don't think it will make a difference. I do what master says."

Shoulders slumping in defeat, KiBum closed his eyes. "Okay…I give, for now. I'm going to get some sleep…it was a long flight." Maybe he'd have some better ideas on how to get through to SooHyun after some rest. Staggering to his feet, KiBum pulled the remaining unpacked bags off from the bed to deal with tomorrow. 

SooHyun stayed where he was, watching him with a neutral expression. "Did you want me to sleep with you, sir?"

"What? No," KiBum sighed, pulling off his shoes, socks and shirt to sleep. He turned off the light, leaving a desk lamp on for SooHyun. "No, you can do whatever you want." Returning to the bed, he pulled down the comforter to crawl under the sheets. 

"... Yes, sir," SooHyun said quietly, sliding down off of KiBum's bed to sit on the floor. Knees tucked up to his chest and arms wrapped tightly around him, he rested his cheek against the back of his knees and closed his eyes.

KiBum settled in, closing his eyes. After a moment he opened them again, realizing SooHyun hadn't moved from the floor. "…Why are you on the floor?" 

SooHyun opened his eyes and looked up at KiBum. "Master doesn't want me sleeping in his bed, sir," he replied softly. "I'll be fine, you need your rest."

"…That asshole," KiBum sighed, too tired to even get angry. He wondered how the other human had even ended up switching rooms halfway through the year, probably through acting like this. "I'm not leaving you on the floor. Here." he rolled to the far end of the bed, grabbing the second pillow from where he'd dropped it to the side and placing it beside his own. "Sleep up here, I'll see if I can get you a cot or something tomorrow." 

"Yes, sir," SooHyun replied, sliding up into the bed and settling on a sliver on the edge of the bed. "What time do you need up? I'll make sure you're awake for your first class."

"Uh…eight, but I'm sleeping early so I'll be up on my own, don't worry about it," KiBum blinked at SooHyun tiredly in the dark. "You're going to roll right off. I don't bite, lie down comfortably." 

"I am comfortable, sir," SooHyun replied. "Please... don't worry about me. I'm not worth worrying about, I'm just a slave."

"SooHyun…look at me," KiBum said quietly. 

"Yes, sir?" SooHyun's eyes met KiBum's, wide and full of absolute trust.

"You're not just a slave," the human murmured, smiling tiredly. "No matter what crap they've fed you about being useless, or not as good as everyone else…don't listen to them. You're an amazing, amazing person that can never be replaced." 

"Of course I can be replaced sir," SooHyun replied, shaking his head a little. "Master tells me that all the time. Why do you keep telling me things that contradict him?"

"Because your master doesn't understand just how special you are," KiBum said quietly. "And it's a shame." He closed his eyes, burying his nose in the pillow as he relaxed. "…And my name's KiBum." 

"I'm a slave, sir," SooHyun replied. "I don't have the privilege to call you by a name. Sleep well sir."

KiBum was too tired to keep arguing for what seemed like a losing battle. He'd have to keep trying, the whole month he and SooHyun were alone. But tonight he went to sleep with a heavy heart, one that hurt for the goat curled up on the very edge of his bed who was so convinced he was worth as much dead as he was alive. 

*********************************

The first half of the month was a struggle, KiBum trying and failing to get through to SooHyun. He didn't even want to think of what had to have happened to the goat to make him this way. It was a struggle to do anything, KiBum carefully not giving any orders despite what SooHyun said. He always asked rather than ordered; asking the goat what he wanted to eat, what he wanted to do, if he wanted to play any games, if he wanted to go anywhere.

The only slaves KiBum had been around this much were KyuJong, YoungSaeng and the Kim fighters. YoungSaeng spoke to him as an equal, and while the fighters and KyuJong always replied to him formally, there was a sense of ease with their interactions. They knew KiBum, and knew he wasn't like most humans. KiBum had yet to prove the same thing to SooHyun.

Meanwhile, the club for sign rights had suddenly skyrocketed into semi-fame at the school. After the breeding house trip KiBum had thought ended in a disaster, their attendance doubled, then tripled again a few weeks later. Some people had left, yes. But others seemed to be emboldened by what they witnessed at the house, bringing more students to join their cause. Sister clubs were starting in a couple of other schools, from the sound of it; small still, but KiBum had a lot of hope.

"Hey, SooHyun," KiBum looked up as he tied his shoes. "I'm going to another club meeting. Did you want to come along?" 

"Did you need me to go with you?" SooHyun asked, in the midst of folding laundry. More specifically, KiBum's laundry. The goat was a fastidious cleaner, and despite KiBum's objections, SooHyun was going to continue to clean up after the human.

"I…no, I just don't like leaving you here to stare at the wall," KiBum sighed, looking up at the goat. " _Or_ fold my laundry, you know I can do that myself." 

"And yet you didn't," SooHyun pointed out. "I don't mind, sir. It keeps me occupied and you have so much important stuff do, shouldn't be worried about laundry. If you need me to go, I will go with you."

"I didn't do it cause I was writing a letter," KiBum wrinkled his nose, picking up the envelope to mail. He wanted to tell Henry what had been going on, including who his new roommate was. "I was going to do it after the meeting." He stood, stretching out his arms. 

"And now you don't have to," SooHyun replied, picking up the pile of KiBum's underwear and placing it in his drawer. "If you didn't want me to stare at walls all day sir, then you would give me things to do."

"I told you there were games to play, or books to read or something," KiBum replied. "I'm not ordering you to do anything, I'm not that kind of person." Shaking his head, he went to the door. 

"Sir... I have no reason to go with you to this club meeting," SooHyun said, hands clasped in front of him. "My master ordered me to take care of you, and that's what I will do as well as do anything you require of me. My master hasn't ordered me to go anywhere other than where you direct me to go."

KiBum stopped at the door, looking back at SooHyun. "I'm not ordering you to come with me," he said, shoulders slumped. He just couldn't seem to make any progress. "I was just asking if you _wanted_ to come along. Your master isn't here, the only person holding you back is yourself." 

"What I want is irrelevant," SooHyun said, shaking his head slightly. "I do what I'm told to do. If you want me to go with you, I will go."

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want you to go," KiBum sighed, pulling the door open. "See you later then." He stepped out of the room. When SooHyun made no move to follow, he closed the door and headed down the hallway with his hands in his pockets.

He honestly didn't know what he was doing wrong. KiBum gave every opportunity he could find for SooHyun to express an opinion, or an interest, or _something_. Was SooHyun worried he would tattle to his master when JaeSoo came back? Did he not trust KiBum? Which would make sense, KiBum supposed, given how humans in general treat Signs…

Stopping first to mail the letter for Henry, KiBum headed to the main hall where the club had taken over one of the large conference rooms. They'd had to move from their usual classroom to a bigger location when they ran out of seats for all their new members.

Breathing in deeply, KiBum smiled at the people he saw when he entered the room. There was still some time before the meeting was to start, KiBum looking around for Kevin. The younger man had been a huge help, taking over Henry's position in the club and organizing events with KiBum and a few others who had taken interest in leading the club. 

Kevin looked like he was having a very serious discussion with one of the newer members, but when he saw KiBum he excused himself. "Hey, I wasn't sure you were going to be here, you're usually a half hour early to get set up," he said when he approached. "What did we want to start with? DongWoo finished the expense report, looks like we'll be able to actually rent out a space if we need to," Kevin said, going through his notebook.

"Sorry, I was a little distracted," KiBum winced, pushing SooHyun out of his mind for now so he could concentrate on this. "Any word on how the clubs in the other universities are doing? We should start brainstorming joint fundraiser and campaign ideas." He looked around the room, seeing a few unfamiliar faces. "We've got more members, or are they just here to watch for now?" 

"Half and half," Kevin said, looking around the room as well. "I've already written up proposals for fund-raising and sent them over to the other clubs, haven't heard anything back yet. Why are you distracted? Everything okay?"

"Oh…just was trying to convince SooHyun not to spend the day staring at walls again," KiBum rubbed the back of his head. Kevin had met SooHyun the first week of school, after stopping by KiBum's room. "Worked about as well as usual." 

"I don't know which of you is more stubborn," Kevin said, shaking his head a little. "Except... he has a legitimate reason for being stubborn. You don't."

"I'm not being stubborn," KiBum blinked. "How am I being stubborn?" 

"You're being stubborn by not opening your eyes," Kevin said. "I get what we're doing here, and I believe in it, you know I do... but I also know how it really works in the world." He sighed, pulling KiBum a little bit further away from the others. "KiBum... he's a slave, and he's not your slave. Try thinking about it from his perspective."

"His asshole of a master isn't here though," KiBum protested quietly. "And I've told him I don't need him to do anything for me, he can do whatever he wants to pass the time. I've been around slaves my whole life, none of them have ever had any problems finding things to do in their free time." 

"And from what you've told me, _your_ family encouraged that," Kevin said. "From the five minutes you've seen of SooHyun's owner, you really think SooHyun has any idea what free will is? I'm sure it's been beaten out of him a long time ago. He doesn't understand what you want from him because he doesn't know anything else."

"But…" KiBum deflated, eyes pained. Kevin was probably right about that. "But what am I supposed to do? I've tried to help him this whole time, but I just can't seem to reach him." 

"KiBum... SooHyun isn't your slave," Kevin said. "You'd be doing him more harm than good if you tried to encourage free thinking."

The other man looked away. "So what you're saying is to do nothing? To just ignore whenever he says he needs to be beaten to learn something, or that he's stupid and replaceable?" 

"No, I didn't say you should ignore it," Kevin said, sighing softly. "I just don't think trying to convince him that he can speak his mind is a good thing. You've seen what that ass JaeSoo does to him. What do you think would happen if SooHyun decided to speak his mind to him?" Kevin tugged on KiBum's sleeve to get him to look back at him. "I know you want to help, but you have to think about what's best for SooHyun right now."

That hurt to hear. "I am thinking of what's best for him." KiBum sighed, pulling his sleeve out of Kevin's hand. "I'm just…going to walk around for a bit, I'll be back before we start." 

"KiBum..." Kevin's shoulders slumped. "The only way you're going to change SooHyun is if you owned him yourself," he said as the other man walked away.

KiBum slipped out of the conference room, trying not to look like he was running away. No, he had decided a long time ago he would never own a slave. He didn't think he'd ever be able to handle the knowledge that he was keeping someone from being free…or the idea that owning a slave might make him indifferent to slavery. It was a foot in the door of accepting slavery as something natural and right, and he would have nothing to do with it.

But what else was there for him to do? Kevin was right. Any attempt to help SooHyun would just hurt the goat one way or another, no matter what KiBum did. What could he do?

By the end of the club meeting, KiBum was no closer to figuring out the answer. Avoiding any discussion with Kevin as he packed up and left, KiBum headed back to the dormitory slowly. He wished, as he had often wished this month, that Henry was still here. Shoulders slumped, he unlocked and opened the bedroom door, closing it behind him. 

Rising up to his feet, SooHyun bowed to KiBum. "Welcome back sir, I hope the meeting went well?" he said with a smile, holding out his hands to offer to help KiBum with his things. "Is there anything you need of me before you rest for the night?"

KiBum didn't even have the energy to point out his name again. Shaking his head, he avoided the goat's help and stepped around him to place the club binder on his desk. "No, I don't need anything." He noticed the mess of papers that had been on his desk earlier was straightened out in a neat pile, biting his lower lip hard. 

SooHyun frowned slightly, watching KiBum. "I'm sorry sir, are you upset with me?"

"What? No…no," KiBum exhaled slowly past the constriction in his throat. He was upset with himself, for being so utterly useless. He couldn't help SooHyun, as much as he wanted to. How was he supposed to make any difference out there, if he couldn't even protect someone right in front of him? "Good night, SooHyun." He turned away from his desk, pulling his pajamas out of the dresser. 

"Sir?" SooHyun held up a hand slightly, hesitant. "If I may say sir... you keep asking me what I want to do and I never really have an answer because I don't know what I _can_ do, but I like being with you. Thank you, sir."

KiBum looked back at SooHyun, not really expecting the slave to say anything out of the ordinary like that. Earlier that day, he would have latched onto that sentence immediately, full of suggestions. But now he couldn't help but wonder if this was what Kevin meant, if encouraging SooHyun to speak his mind would just hurt him later if he were to say something similar to JaeSoo. KiBum looked away, torn.

"There's nothing to thank me for, SooHyun. I'm so sorry." 

"What are you sorry for, sir?" SooHyun blinked. "You don't have to apologize to me sir. I'm the one who should apologize. You wanted me to go with you, and even though you didn't order it of me, I feel like I disobeyed you."

The younger man shook his head, sitting down on the edge of his bed and closing his eyes. "That wasn't disobeying…you don't have to obey or listen to me ever, and I'm sorry for trying to pressure you into making decisions." 

"I do have to listen to you," SooHyun replied. "Master left me in your care, I would be disobeying my master if I didn't obey you. Why do you want me to make decisions for myself when my master has told me I'm not allowed to?"

"Because my family has always let our slaves make their own decisions, for the most part," KiBum said quietly. "And I forget sometimes that not all other families are like that. I don't want you to get in trouble." 

SooHyun was quiet for a moment, it was clear the gears were turning slowly in his mind as he thought about what KiBum had said. "Your slaves... they must be very happy to be in your service, sir. To have a master who is so kind to them."

"Our slaves don't think of me as their master," KiBum's lips quirked ruefully, eyes opening to look down at his hands. "My dad, my brother…those are their masters. I'm the annoying kid who sneaks them food at midnight, and makes up excuses to keep them out of trouble. I'd much rather be that than any kind of master." 

"You would be a great master, sir," SooHyun said. "Are you sure there's nothing you need? Did you eat?"

"There was some snacks at the club meeting," KiBum shook his head, sighing quietly before looking up. "Did _you_ eat?" 

"I... no, sir," SooHyun shook his head, looking down. "I haven't been able to eat yet today."

"…Not at _all_?" KiBum's eyes widened before he stood. "Aish…Aren't you hungry? Come on, let's go get something to eat." 

"What?" SooHyun raised his hands, shaking his head. "No, sir, I will go eat right now, you rest. You've had a long day, you need your rest."

"And you'll go eat bread and water or something equally appetizing, yeah, I've figured out how that works." KiBum stuffed his feet into his shoes. "There's a good place five minutes down the street, Sign friendly and everything. Goats are vegetarian, right? Or do you eat meat?" 

"Well... no, I don't eat meat," SooHyun said, watching KiBum with a mix of horror and confusion. "Please sir, you don't need to do anything on my account. I can find food on my own."

"Oh, I just realized I'm still hungry after all," KiBum gave SooHyun a cheeky smile. "So why not find food together? They have lots of vegetarian stuff, I'm sure you'll find something you like." Grabbing his wallet, he stuffed it into his jean pockets and went to track down where he'd tossed his jacket. 

"Oh... okay," SooHyun said, moving slowly towards the door to put on his shoes. "I'm fine with eating whatever sir."

"Whatever you say," KiBum chuckled, buttoning up his jacket. "Uh…do you have a jacket, or sweater or something?" 

"I don't really need one sir, it isn't that cold out," SooHyun said, opening the door for him.

"Yes it is, there's snow on the ground," KiBum wrinkled his nose. Looking around, he spotted one of his hoodies on the back of his chair and picked it up, holding it out to SooHyun. "Here, put this on." 

"If you insist sir," SooHyun said with a frown, taking the hoodie and slipping it over his head. "You really shouldn't worry about me so much."

"Maybe not, but I will anyways cause one of us has to," KiBum replied, stuffing his hands into his jacket as he slipped out into the hallway. 

"Only if you agree that I can worry about you, sir," SooHyun said, following him out and closing the door behind him.

"You mean you don't do that anyways?" KiBum smiled back at SooHyun, locking the door and walking down the hallway slowly. 

"I do, but you don't like it," SooHyun said. "I think fair is fair sir. If you are going to worry about me, which you don't have to, then I will worry about you and you won't be able to say anything about it. That seems fair to me."

KiBum blinked, looking back at SooHyun. The goat would have never said something like that at the beginning of the month, he was sure.

"…Okay, fair's fair," the human's lips quirked in a small smile. "You coming?" 

"Yes sir," SooHyun grinned, following after him. The goat seemed far happier now than he had previously. Just that little bit of reaffirming their roles put him at ease. It was a start.

************************************21

"Hey, I— I can fix my own bed SooHyun," KiBum sighed when he came back from his shower to find the goat already changing the sheets of his bed. A full month later, he had yet to get the goat to stop waiting on him hand and foot. At least now he picked his battles, convincing SooHyun to let him help rather than to leave whole tasks to the goat alone. The bed was one of those things; jammed in the corner, two people could do it way faster than one. "That's awkward to do by yourself." 

"It's fine sir, you have to study for that mid term," SooHyun said, waving him off. "I know how to put a bed together, I make up Master's bed all the time."

"And I make _my_ bed all the time, so we'll compromise and both do it." KiBum took up the other end of the bed from the slave, pulling the sheets over the mattress properly. "See? Much faster." 

"Yes sir," SooHyun said, though there was a small smile on the goat's face. He looked up as the dorm room door opened, ears flattening as he dropped the end of the comforter he was holding and bowed low. "Welcome back, master."

JaeSoo dropped his bag on the floor, ignoring SooHyun as he came in. "Ugh, this place is horrible," he said, dropping down on his bed and leaning back on his elbows. "Hey, I don't think I got your name before, was he good?" he nodded towards SooHyun.

KiBum's expression fell when the door opened. His time alone with SooHyun was over already? "Yeah, he was great," forcing a smile, KiBum nodded to JaeSoo. "It's KiBum. How was the trip?" 

"Enlightening," JaeSoo shrugged. "Take care of my laundry goat, and get me something to eat I'm starving."

"Yes, master," SooHyun said quietly, moving to pick up JaeSoo's suitcase. JaeSoo stuck his foot out under SooHyun, the goat tripping and falling flat on his face. "Seriously, you are absolutely the clumsiest thing ever," JaeSoo snorted, looking to KiBum. "I'm sorry I just unloaded him on you like that, I hope he didn't break anything."

KiBum's eyes widened and he automatically moved forward when SooHyun fell, before registering what had happened and that the fall hadn't been accidental. Any thought of trying to avoid conflict with JaeSoo went out the window then. "…I'm surprised he didn't break his nose with you tripping him," KiBum scowled. "Seriously? What was that for?" 

"What's the big deal?" JaeSoo shrugged. "So what, if he breaks his nose then he'll learn to watch where he's going better." SooHyun was back on his feet and picking up JaeSoo's suitcase, trying to be as discreet as possible.

"He was watching where he was going, _you_ decided to trip him for the fun of it," KiBum managed to keep his voice level, anger burning just under the surface. "A master is supposed to care about their slaves, do you?" 

"Excuse me?" JaeSoo looked KiBum up and down. "Who the hell are you to say that to me huh?"

"I'm part of one of Korea's top fighting houses, that's who I am," KiBum straightened, eyes dark. "If you aren't interested in taking care of him, I'll buy him from you." 

"You can't be serious," JaeSoo laughed, getting to his feet. "You actually want Useless? He can't do anything, he's absolutely worthless. Only reason I keep him around is because he's so eager to get into bed... Oh, that's it isn't it? Had a little taste and don't want to give him up? Look, you can use him whenever I'm not, you don't need to waste money on him."

It was all KiBum could do not to punch the guy. He could punch him after he had SooHyun out of danger. "You and I have two very different opinions of what's a waste of money. Name your price." 

"You're actually serious," JaeSoo shook his head. He glanced over at SooHyun who was stuck frozen in the middle of the room, clutching the bag to his chest tightly. "You know what? Whatever, take him. I'd rather have a bunny anyway, at least they don't stink like garbage. Ten thousand, that's my price."

"Deal." KiBum didn't care if that was more than one would pay at a fighter's auction. He wasn't going to haggle and risk this moron changing his mind. Striding to his desk, KiBum pulled out a cheque and wrote the amount down on it, signing. "I'll have all his papers and the key to his collar." 

"Yeah, I'll get you his papers tomorrow," JaeSoo said, fishing his keys out of his pocket. He pulled a small silver one off, slamming it down on one of the tables. "You just made a really big mistake, but guess what? I don't care, he isn't my problem anymore."

"I'm not the one who just made a mistake," KiBum finished writing the cheque and placed it down on the table, taking the key. He tucked the key into his pocket. "Come on SooHyun, let's go request a new room. This one's gotten a little filthy." He walked to the door. 

SooHyun was stuck, still frozen in the middle of the room. "M...Master?" he whispered, looking between JaeSoo and KiBum.

"Go, he's your master now," JaeSoon said, snatching the bag out of SooHyun's hands, pushing SooHyun away.

"Don't push him," KiBum snapped. "Like you said, he isn't yours anymore, and that means you can't lay a finger on him." He stood by the door, holding it open and waiting for SooHyun to join him. 

SooHyun was trembling as he backed away from JaeSoo. "But... sir..." he whispered. "I..."

"I said get out!" JaeSoo pointed towards the door. "Get your filthy goat ass out of here!"

"Yes, sir," SooHyun mumbled, bowing before turning and walking on stiff legs towards the door. "...Master?" he said hesitantly, looking to KiBum with confusion in his eyes.

The hard edge to KiBum's eyes softened as he looked at SooHyun, and he smiled at the goat. "Come on, let's go," he held out his hand to SooHyun. "It'll be okay." 

SooHyun looked down at the hand, reaching out to take after a moment and then looked back up at KiBum. He gave a small nod, a flicker of a smile on his face. He didn't say anything else, his head too confused by what had just happened and stuck close to KiBum.

KiBum closed the door after them, not letting go of SooHyun's hand as they walked down the hallway. "We'll stay at an inn for tonight," he said quietly after walking in silence for a minute. "Should be able to get a room transfer for tomorrow, after we get your papers." 

"I don't... He just... he just gave me up," SooHyun whispered. "And now I belong... to you... right?"

"Yeah," KiBum nodded, exhaling slowly. He was still coming to terms with the fact he'd just bought a slave, when he'd always said he never would. But it had been the only way to protect SooHyun. "He's not going to be able to hurt you anymore." 

"But... why sir?" SooHyun asked, looking at him. "Not for the reasons Mast- I mean, not for the reasons he said because you never wanted me to do anything like that for you."

KiBum glanced at SooHyun, meeting the goat's eyes. "Do you remember what I told you that first day we met? That he was wrong about you, and you're worth far more than he's willing to admit?" He squeezed SooHyun's hand lightly. "I couldn't stand watching him hurt you." 

"...Oh," SooHyun didn't know how to respond, looking away and down at the floor. "I'm honored to be joining your house... master."

"Don't…" KiBum sighed, looking up. "Please don't call me that. You can keep calling me sir if you don't want to use my real name, but…don't call me master." 

"Why not? That's what you are," SooHyun frowned, trying to pull his hand out of KiBum's. There were other people in the hall they were going down.

Looking down at their hands, KiBum's shoulders slumped and he let SooHyun go. "If it's all the same, I'd rather be your friend than your master." 

"But... you're not my friend," SooHyun replied, staying a step behind at KiBum's shoulder. "I never will be. You are my master."

KiBum's eyes dimmed. "Whatever you're comfortable with." He didn't have to worry about SooHyun saying anything else as they'd arrived at housing services, KiBum stepping into the office.

It wasn't easy to request a room change suddenly in the middle of the year, but they were in luck; one of the single rooms in a different building had opened up after someone dropped out. Requesting the room change for tomorrow, along with an extra cot for SooHyun, KiBum signed the papers presented to him.

It was nearly an hour before they could leave the office, KiBum looking at SooHyun with a frown. "We'll need to get you clothes and stuff…I've never had to worry about a slave before, so I'm sure I'll probably forget something." 

"As I've told you, you don't need to worry about me," SooHyun said. "Now I really get to take care of you, master..." His head tilted slightly, one of his ears twitching slightly. "I thought you said your family owned slaves?"

"My dad had slaves, and ownership went to my older brother when he passed away, but I've never owned slaves and never really paid much attention to how to go about purchasing one," KiBum shook his head. "I do know it's my duty to take care of you though, so that's what I'm going to do, starting with getting you whatever necessities you need."

His eyes landed on SooHyun's metal collar, and he frowned slightly. "No, starting with something else. Come on, I know exactly where we're going first," he turned towards the building exit. 

"And where would that be sir?" SooHyun asked, following him.

"The outfitter's a couple blocks down," KiBum replied. "They'll have a much more comfortable collar than the one you have right now." 

"My collar?" SooHyun blinked, a hand going to the metal one at his neck. "I'm sure this can wait until tomorrow sir, you were supposed to be studying tonight... You left all your things there, what about all your school work? We need to go back for them sir, that's most important."

"That can wait until we're in the new room, this is more important," KiBum looked back at him. "You're more important, whether you believe that or not." He pushed the door open and stepped outside, shivering a little in the cool breeze as he walked to the street. 

"I don't believe it," SooHyun shook his head. "But you would know best, master. I'm sorry for disagreeing with you."

"Don't be sorry, disagree with me whenever you want. It's not healthy to agree with someone all the time," KiBum chuckled, looking back at SooHyun. "I won't get mad at you for it." 

"Yes, master, I will do my best," SooHyun said, though his eyes were wary.

 _Don't call me that,_ KiBum complained mentally, sighing as he turned back towards where he was walking. They reached the store ten minutes later, KiBum pulling the door open. "What do you want to eat after?" 

"I'll eat whatever you want me to," SooHyun said.

"I'm hoping for your opinion though," KiBum said, nodding to the store clerk and heading through the aisles. He frowned, looking around for where he'd find the collars; he usually avoided looking for them. 

"And I've told you I don't have an opinion on food," SooHyun said, following behind him. "I'll eat what you want me to."

KiBum wrinkled his nose. "I'll get an answer out of you one day." Finding the collars, he stopped and looked through the selection with a frown. He went over the different materials with a critical eye, running his thumb over the inside of a collar and shaking his head before putting it back.

No, none of these were good. Sighing, KiBum looked around and spotted a sales assistance nearby. "Excuse me? Do you have anything softer than this?"

"I'll check sir, please wait here." The assistant disappeared into the back. 

"This really isn't necessary sir," SooHyun murmured. "Doesn't your family have their own collars?"

"We have the standard collars for our house, yeah," KiBum looked over at SooHyun. "I don't really want to get you one of those though. My brother's rabbit, KyuJong…he has a different one, I'm looking for something like his. It's very light, and won't hurt you." 

"Doesn't hurt?" SooHyun seemed baffled by that. "Collars supposed to hurt, to remind us of our duty to our masters."

"…" KiBum rubbed his temple a little. "Remind me not to punch that asshole until _after_ I get your papers. No, that's completely not true." 

"Then why do they hurt?" SooHyun asked.

"Because some humans aren't nice, SooHyun," KiBum said quietly, looking at him. "They like to see others in pain, because it makes them feel more powerful. JaeSoo is one of those people." 

SooHyun's eyes tightened slightly in confusion, looking into KiBum's eyes briefly before looking away. "He was... my master," he said softly. "It is his right to treat me as he wishes."

"Rights like that shouldn't even exist," KiBum replied, frowning.

The sales assistant had returned. "Here's our best style, sir," he held out a box to KiBum. The younger man took it and opened the box, looking down at the collar inside. When he felt the material, checking the inseam and the buckle, he smiled and nodded. "I'll get this one." It was as similar to KyuJong's collar as he was going to find. The soft material wouldn't hold any of the usual safety restraints, but KiBum wasn't worried. Handing the box back to the assistant, he headed to the front of the store to pay.

Placing the box in a bag afterwards, KiBum looked back at SooHyun as they left the store. "Let's go get a room for the night, and switch your collar. Should be able to order in afterwards." 

SooHyun nodded, following along with his head down. It was hard to tell what the goat was thinking, his expression ranging from confused to resigned to happy depending on what moment you looked at him. He didn't say anything else for a while, nodding along to whatever KiBum said as they found a hotel to stay in. The next time he spoke was when the door had closed behind them in the hotel room, SooHyun pulling off his shoes.

"Sir... can I ask you a question?"

"Hm?" KiBum looked up at the goat after kicking off his shoes. "Yeah, of course." He turned on the lights in the room, stretching out his arms and placing the bag down on a small side table. 

"You... Did you buy me because of what he said?" SooHyun asked, looking up at him. "About me being eager to jump into bed... is that why you bought me?"

"…What?" KiBum's eyes widened in shock. "No! No, that had absolutely nothing to do with why I bought you. I bought you because that was the only way I could protect you." 

"It's okay if you did..." SooHyun said, sitting down on the edge of one of the beds. "Is there anything you need sir? What would you like me to order for dinner?"

"I didn't buy you for that purpose, SooHyun," KiBum sighed, watching him. "We'll worry about dinner in a minute…here." He brought the bag over to the bed, sitting down next to SooHyun. "Lift your chin?" He pulled the silver key out of his pocket. 

SooHyun did as asked. "Your brother's slave... KyuJong... is he a personal slave?"

"Yeah, he is. He keeps my brother from working too hard, or taking himself out on a door or something. Also keeps an eye on the fighters when HyungJoon can't." KiBum inserted the key into the small hole at the front of SooHyun's collar. With a soft click, the collar came off and he placed it on the bed. 

"And you said he's happy, gets to do... things he wants to do?" SooHyun asked, a hand reaching to his bare neck. The skin was pale and scarred, small holes and scratches all the way around from the inside of the collar.

"Yeah, he gets to garden. I think he'd sleep out there if he could, we regularly find him up to his elbows in dirt." KiBum frowned at the marks. "One second." He hopped to his feet and disappeared into the bathroom, returning after a minute with a damp facecloth. Sitting down next to SooHyun again, he reached out and gently wiped the scraped skin. 

"He's a wood element then," SooHyun said, wincing slightly. "And your brother just... lets him do that. To do what he wants. Why is it you don't have a slave already?"

"I don't want to get used to the idea of slavery being something normal," KiBum replied, wincing along with SooHyun and being more careful. "To have Signs below humans…it's wrong. I'm not stupid, I understand how the world is right now. But it doesn't have to stay that way. I wouldn't want a Sign slave any more than I would want a human slave." 

"But you _do_ have a Sign slave now," SooHyun replied softly. "And... just hearing how your brother treats his own, makes me a little nervous. But happy. Is your brother pleased with KyuJong?"

"Of course he is," KiBum blinked. "They're really close, I remember them playing tag when we were little. We got him before the rules against independent breeding houses happened, he's been in our family since…I think I was three. It's not that HyungJoon's pleased or not pleased with him…he's family. Why are you nervous?" 

"Because I don't know what to do," SooHyun admitted. "With master... I knew what he wanted all the time. You... you don't want me doing anything for you and you just told me that you didn't want a slave so I don't know what you're going to do with me now."

"Well _I_ don't know what I'll do with you, so at least we're on the same track," KiBum chuckled. Seeing he'd cleaned up SooHyun's neck the best he could, he lowered his hand. "Hey…I can at least promise you what I won't do. I won't hit you, I won't hurt you. I won't yell at you, or call you anything other than your name. If I get pissed off cause I had a bad day, I won't take it out on you. I won't make you sleep on the floor, and I won't force you to do anything you're uncomfortable with. I won't ever stop you from asking questions, or sharing your opinion on something…and if you ever find something you want to do, a hobby or anything, I won't stop you from doing it. I might stop you from staring at the wall though, because that has got to be boring after a while." 

"...Oh." It was clear SooHyun didn't know how to respond to all that, squirming a little uncomfortably. "Well, it... I'm... I'm used to being bored, master. It's not so bad, really. It's... the only time I ever got any peace and think about flowers..." He seemed startled by his own admission, covering his mouth and looking away.

"…Flowers?" KiBum's lips curled upwards. "So you like flowers, to eat? Or to grow, care for, what?" He placed the facecloth aside. 

When SooHyun finally lowered his hand, he pouted a little. "Eat... I love to eat flowers. Sometimes... master's sister would sneak me some from the garden. I guess... they're the one good thing I've ever had in my life."

KiBum's expression softened. "We'll get you tons of flowers then, how does that sound? It'll be spring soon, we can find whatever kind you like most…I bet the library has some books on different types." 

"I'm not too fussy on which kind," SooHyun said, looking down with a small smile. "If this is true sir, about me being your slave from now on... then I hope one day I can be like KyuJong, and I hope that I please you."

"I wouldn't try to be KyuJong, he's so easily flustered," KiBum chuckled, nudging SooHyun lightly. "Just be yourself, and that'll make me happy. Oh, and whatever you do don't eat any flowers from KyuJong's garden without his permission, I won't save you from being turned into fertilizer." 

"I can't imagine ever doing something without permission," SooHyun said, shaking his head emphatically. "I'm still a slave sir, that isn't going to change. I'll do what you tell me, and I'll do it as well as I can. That's all I ever want to do."

KiBum sighed, shaking his head. "I'm hoping if you hang around with me long enough, you won't worry about asking for permission anymore, but I guess that's a little much for right now." He opened the box beside him, picking up the new collar. "Guess I should put this on." 

"Yes, please," SooHyun nodded, lifting his chin again. "I feel... wrong without it on. No more pain though right? No more metal spikes in my neck?"

"No, and I tell you what, you can have the pleasure of tossing that metal thing into a dumpster." KiBum reached out and carefully secured the new collar around SooHyun's neck, buckling it in the front. "Too tight?" 

"No sir, it feels... very nice," SooHyun said, touching the soft leather. "Thank you sir, thank you so much," he whispered, sliding off of the bed onto the floor. On his knees, he bowed to KiBum. "Thank you."

"Hey…hey," KiBum sighed, edging off the bed to sit down in front of SooHyun. "Don't do that, you don't ever have to bow to me." He rested a hand on SooHyun's shoulder. "If you have to thank me for anything, do it with your head held high and looking right at me, not at the floor." 

"It's not my place sir," SooHyun said, sniffling a little. "You have shown me kindness, this is how I show my gratitude and respect."

"SooHyun, it _is_ your place. You're in a different house now, remember?" KiBum took SooHyun's hands lightly. "Look at me." 

It took a moment, but SooHyun did look up, his eyes glassy. "I'm just a slave sir... why are you so kind to me?"

"Because you're not just a slave," KiBum smiled at him softly. "You're SooHyun, the silly goat who likes eating flowers and won't listen when I tell him I can fold my own laundry. And that's a very special person." 

"But.. I'm still a slave," SooHyun said, pulling away slightly. "I know my place... and that place doesn't include being happy."

KiBum's eyes dimmed. "I do hope you'll be happy one day." He slowly stood, moving the box and the metal collar from the bed. "I'll order us something to eat, you should rest." 

"I should be the one to order us food, you've had a long day," SooHyun said, shooting back up to his feet. "What is it you would like?"

"…Oh I give up," KiBum groaned, flopping onto his back on the bed and covering his face with his arms. "Whatever, I'll eat anything." 

"Very well sir," SooHyun bowed to him. "I'll bring you up a meal shortly," he said, going to the door to put his shoes on.

"Hey, don't forget something for yourself," KiBum pointed in the general direction of the door. "Something decent, if you don't eat properly I'll drag you to a restaurant myself." 

"Yes sir, as you wish sir," SooHyun said, bowing again before he left. He did bring back meals for them both, though SooHyun's dinner wasn't quite as decent as KiBum would have hoped. It was a start though.

**********************************22

They got SooHyun's papers from JaeSoo the following morning, KiBum managing not to punch the guy (barely). They also moved into a new room, one without a roommate this time. SooHyun had his own cot, and KiBum divided half of the dresser for the clothes he bought for SooHyun between classes. The goat protested the whole way, but KiBum wasn't to be swayed.

The arguing back and forth was draining though, and KiBum hit many walls in trying to communicate with SooHyun. He did his best to take Kevin's advice and look at things from the Sign's perspective, but it was still frustrating. Maybe he was just being impatient, but at the same time if he was doing something wrong, he really wanted to know.

And there were so few people he knew who would be able to help him. He needed to talk to someone who had been in a similar situation, who thought of Signs the same way he did…and only one person came to mind.

"Here we are," KiBum frowned as he stepped into the apartment building lobby with SooHyun right behind him, frowning as he looked down at the address he'd gotten from the school. "Should be on the fourth floor…" 

"I don't quite understand why we're here," SooHyun said, seeing the lift and motioning towards it. "You said he's the Games Commissioner? Why are we seeing him?"

"He is now, but he used to be the professor in Sign Relations at the university," KiBum said, headed to the lift and stepping inside. "It was thanks to him that Henry and I started the club for Sign rights." 

"Oh," SooHyun replied, pressing the button for the fourth floor. "This is about club business then?"

"Well I did want to tell him about the club, but I needed his opinion on something," KiBum closed the gate as the lift rose to the fourth floor. Opening the gate again to step out, he looked at the door numbers as they passed. When he found the number that was on his paper, he drew in a deep breath and knocked. 

It took a minute, but the door finally opened, a tall, leggy man with red hair standing on the other side. "...KiBum?" the man said, head tilted to one side. "Hi, what are you doing here?"

KiBum's expression lit up, relieved that the older man was actually in. "Professor Zhou Mi, it's good to see you. I, uh…" He looked at SooHyun beside him before looking at Zhou Mi. "If you're not too busy…I had some questions, and I wasn't sure who else to ask."

"I smell a goat." Someone just half a head shorter than Zhou Mi appeared, sapphire eyes peering around the human's shoulder. "Oh, hey you. It's been a while."

"Hi KyuHyun," KiBum smiled wider. 

"Oh, well, come in," Zhou Mi said, smiling brightly as he pushed KyuHyun back to let KiBum and SooHyun in. "And who is this?" he nodded towards SooHyun who was bowing.

"This is SooHyun," KiBum introduced as they stepped in. "I bought him from his old owner about a week ago. SooHyun, this is Games Commissioner Zhou Mi, and KyuHyun." 

Zhou Mi tilted his head slightly at that, but he gave SooHyun a warm smile and welcome. "Hello SooHyun, it's good to meet you. Is there anything we can get either of you?"

"Honored to meet you, sir," SooHyun said, bowing again when he entered the apartment. He looked at KiBum for the answer to Zhou Mi's question. "Do you need anything sir?"

"Uh…no, not for me, and he was asking you too you know," KiBum shook his head, closing the door after them.

KyuHyun blinked, looking between them. He exchanged a look with Zhou Mi before stepping back. "Well what are we all around the door for, come on and sit down." He went to move extra chairs closer to the couch. 

Settling comfortably on the couch with his legs tucked up under him, Zhou Mi looked between KiBum and SooHyun. "So, what brings you here? I have to say I'm a little surprised to see you with a sign, how did this come about?"'

KiBum sat down, watching KyuHyun drop onto the couch next to Zhou Mi and leaving the chair beside KiBum open for SooHyun. "Oh…his old owner was one of the worst kind of human," KiBum frowned, looking down at his hands. "Buying him was the only way I could get him away from that guy. I uh…I need some advice, because I've never owned a slave before…" Maybe he should have left SooHyun at the dorm; he didn't want to say too much with the goat there. 

"I see..." Zhou Mi frowned, looking towards KyuHyun. "KuiXian, why don't you take SooHyun upstairs and show him your... book collection."

"Uh, sure," KyuHyun blinked, hopping back up to his feet. "Come on SooHyun," he headed to the stairs and took two at a time. 

SooHyun looked confused, but he got up to his feet and followed KyuHyun towards the stairs. "So..." Zhou Mi smiled a little at KiBum once they were gone. "What questions did you have?"

Shoulders relaxing once the two Signs were gone, KiBum sighed softly. "How was it when you got KyuHyun? I mean…if it weren't for the collar, it would be impossible to tell he's any sort of slave," he said quietly, glancing towards the stairs. "I want to help SooHyun reach a level of comfort like that, but I don't even know where to start." 

Leaning back a little in his seat, Zhou Mi's lips quirked slightly. "Let me ask you something... do you remember in my class I had you all read a paper about the affects of environment on the psychology of Signs?"

Chewing on his lower lip, KiBum nodded. That had been a couple years ago, but he remembered everything from that class. "Yeah, I remember that paper." 

"I wrote that paper," Zhou Mi said. "I wrote it my senior year, and in order to write the paper I had to buy a slave. I bought KuiXian straight from the breeding house and made him the subject of my dissertation. The reason he is the way he is now is because of a very long turbulent year."

"Oh," KiBum blinked. He hadn't realized Zhou Mi had written that paper. "I remember in the paper, you talked about how giving Signs opportunities to be more than slaves could do just that…but what did you do, exactly? I know I haven't had SooHyun all that long, but I don't want to go about this the wrong way." 

"Well, it's different for every individual, that's the important thing I want you to remember," Zhou Mi said. "I can tell you that I made some bad decisions, it was trial and error with KuiXian the first few weeks. The only wrong thing you can do is give up, but I don't think you'll be doing that, will you?"

"No," KiBum shook his head emphatically. "I don't ever plan on giving up on him. I'm just not sure how I can get through to him…that asshole who owned him before beat all free will out of him."

"I see you'll have a harder time than I had with KuiXian, but I think you'll be just fine," Zhou Mi said. "No one is too far gone, just keep that in mind. What have you done so far? What have you tried?"

"I switched out the collar that was putting holes in his neck with the softest one I could find," KiBum said, glancing towards the stairs. "I take him different places whenever I'm not busy with classes or the club, and am trying to find out any interests he has." 

"And what has been the response?" Zhou Mi asked. "Have you found anything he's interested in?"

"Not really, though I did find out he likes eating flowers," KiBum's lips quirked slightly. "He seemed to like stopping by the greenhouses to buy some." 

"Flowers?" Zhou Mi blinked, lips quirking. "He is a goat then," he chuckled. "You wouldn't come here to see me if you weren't hitting a large road block... what's going on?"

KiBum exhaled slowly. "I don't know how to get him to see he's…more than just a slave. That he really does matter, and his opinions matter. Whenever I think we're making progress, I'll say something about him being special and it's like he closes up completely again." 

"And you don't understand why," Zhou Mi nodded. "It sounds like he came from a very bad situation, and living in that kind of environment for so many years is detrimental to a person's mental health. I've seen it many times in my line of work, personal slaves who are completely dead inside. They're told their entire lives they are nothing, they are worthless to the point that they believe it. With you telling him everything he's ever heard is wrong, he's confused. He doesn't really understand why you're saying those things, because those things don't apply to him."

KiBum looked down, understanding what Zhou Mi was saying. "But…what can I do?" he asked quietly. "How can I help him, professor? I want to help him." 

"And I applaud you for wanting to do so," Zhou Mi said, glancing towards the stairs. "The help he needs is more than words, KiBum. He needs more than just praise and compliments. What he needs, is someone to show him how to be more than a slave. You can encourage him, but let him make the steps. Let his decisions be his own, and not just because you tell him he needs to make that choice."

Letting that sink in, KiBum nodded. "Okay…I'll try doing that. Even if it takes a long time, I want his decisions to be his own." He smiled tiredly up at Zhou Mi. "Thank you…I wasn't sure who else to ask. Things are changing, slowly, but still have a long way to go." 

"And I hate to be the one to tell you, but it will be a very long process," Zhou Mi said. "When you met KuiXian on that first day of class, that was two years of work to get him to that level of comfort. And not more than six months later, I managed to destroy all of it. It's a tenuous position to be in, one you'll have to be ever mindful of."

Nodding slowly, KiBum blinked. "He seems to be the same now as when I met him though," he looked towards the stairs again. "I know this will take a long time…I just need to know I'm on the right track, and not screwing up someone else's life. I'll deal with the rest as it comes up." 

"Do you want to help him, make his life better?" Zhou Mi asked.

"Yes," KiBum nodded, expression set. "Yes, I do." 

"Then I'd say you're on the right track," Zhou Mi replied, smiling a little. "Just... I want you to keep this in mind. Understand what he's been through, and try not to get frustrated when he doesn't understand what it is you're telling him. He relies on you for everything now, and that includes guiding him."

"I understand," KiBum nodded again, straightening in his seat. "I'll do the best I can to guide him." He wasn't perfect, and he'd already made several mistakes with SooHyun so far. But he wasn't going to give up on the goat, ever.

Upstairs, KyuHyun hummed to himself as he crouched by the bookshelf. He fully understood he was to distract SooHyun while the two downstairs talked, but he was pouting inside at not being able to listen in. "So…you like to read? I just got a book on airships last week, it has some cool stuff in it." 

"Um... I don't know how to read," SooHyun said, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

"Oh, well then," KyuHyun sighed, standing to reach for the top of the shelf instead. "I'm guessing writing's a no too then. Maybe…a-hah." He snatched a few workbooks off the top of the shelf, holding them out to SooHyun. "Here." 

SooHyun eyed the books warily, looking between them and KyuHyun. "What is this?"

"Workbooks, what do they look like? Take them, if you're going to learn how to read and write you'll need these. I might have scribbled in a few of the pages, but other than that they're fine." 

"I don't understand, I'm not going to learn to read or write," SooHyun said, shaking his head. "Master hasn't said anything about that."

"I'm surprised that kid hasn't, does he even know you can't read and write? He probably assumes you can." KyuHyun turned towards SooHyun. "Do you _want_ to learn?" 

"If master wants me to learn, I will," SooHyun said. "He hasn't asked if I can, but I'm sure he knows it. Slaves don't learn to read or write, we're not that privileged."

"You didn't answer my question," KyuHyun placed the books down on the table between them, dropping down onto the edge of the bed. "Do _you_ want to learn? Not 'master didn't give me permission', not 'slaves don't learn to read or write', do _you_ want to learn?" 

SooHyun looked down at his shoes, hands clasped in front of him. "It's not something I have ever thought about, nor should I. Being able to read and write will not affect how I serve my master."

"…" KyuHyun sighed. "Maybe not, but it does other things for you." He motioned for SooHyun to sit down with him. "So you were just bought, huh? What do you think of the kid?" 

"Master is very kind," SooHyun said, trying to hide the smile as he slowly sat down. "He... lets me eat flowers. He doesn't even hit me if I deserve punishment. No slave should be this lucky."

"Every slave should be that lucky," KyuHyun wrinkled his nose. "So everything's going good, then? You understand him and what he wants, get along fine?" 

"Well... no," SooHyun shook his head. "He... confuses me, all the time. Wants me to have opinions and gives me choices for things that I have no right to. I don't understand why he's doing this, and won't let me serve him like I'm supposed to. Am I doing something wrong?"

"No," KyuHyun replied. "It's fine to be confused. I was the same way when Zhou Mi bought me. He wouldn't let me do any work, and I spent much of my time on pins and needles waiting for him to suddenly turn around and get mad at me for not doing what I'm supposed to as his slave." 

"That's how I feel," SooHyun nodded. "What did you do?"

KyuHyun reflected on the irony of repeating the same thing HeeChul told him four and a half years ago. "I learned to read and write. It took up so much time I didn't have the mental energy to worry about not being the traditional slave. There's a rooster across the hall, _his_ master is pretty-much like Mi and KiBum too. He learned to read too, and drank a lot. That's why I'm suggesting you do the same.. not the drinking part. There's just something about learning, you feel in control when everything else around you is being tossed on its head." 

"I don't want to be in control," SooHyun said, frowning at KyuHyun. "I want Master to be in control, to tell me what he wants from me. That's how it's supposed to be. I don't understand why he's doing this."

"Does he try to explain any of it to you?" KyuHyun rested back on his elbows on the bed. "Why he's doing what he's doing? What does he say?" 

"He does, but it doesn't make any sense to me," SooHyun said. "He tells me I'm... special, and that he wants to be my friend. But I don't need a friend, I need a master who tells me what I need to do to please him."

"You're going to have to learn one important thing with a master like ours," KyuHyun replied. "That everything you were told about who you are and your position in life, before he bought you, is utter crap. All that junk about Signs being less than humans? Not true." 

"If it's not true, then why are we slaves?" SooHyun asked, clearly not believing him.

"Because a long time ago, humans outnumbered Signs and feared them," KyuHyun sighed. "So they put Signs in cages, deeming them little better than animals despite all evidence to the contrary. Because whatever humans fear, they try to control. Now centuries later, that control is so obvious that even Signs themselves can't think of any other way to live other than under human control." 

"What else would we be?" SooHyun asked, looking even more confused. "We are animals... I'm a goat who will chew on curtains if I'm left alone in animal form too long. Dragons rampage, destroy buildings and kill people... we _are_ animals."

"If animals were all we were, one of us would be bitten by now," KyuHyun pointed out. "And it wouldn't be me. I might be a snake, but I'm in perfect control of what I do. If I was in snake form and came across a bunny, I'd be more worried about giving the thing a heart attack than eating it. If KiBum were to leave you alone as a goat, with other food options available, would you have the uncontrollable urge to eat every curtain in sight? Or would you be able to control that urge because you know that isn't what you're supposed to be eating?" 

"I... don't know," SooHyun admitted. "I haven't been in my animal form in a long time, and not for very long either. My master... he said goats are filthy animals and never wanted to see one. Most humans don't want to see a goat."

"Ask KiBum," KyuHyun's lips quirked. "If you haven't figured it out by now, your new master isn't like 'most humans'. Ask him if he has any problems with your goat form." 

"I can't ask anything like that," SooHyun shook his head. "I wouldn't want him to see me as an animal, I'm ugly and dirty."

"And what if he doesn't think you're ugly and dirty?" KyuHyun inquired, sitting up. 

"He will, because I am," SooHyun said, not understanding. "If he wanted to see me as a goat, then he would have asked. He hasn't so he doesn't want to."

"You're not listening," KyuHyun sighed. "Someone not asking something doesn't mean they disprove of it. Sometimes, they just don't know, or don't understand how your reasoning is. My advice to you is to try and not let what past masters have said get in the way of _listening_ to what he's saying. You don't have to worry about understanding right away. It's fine to be confused. But leave yourself open to listening. Don't tune out what he's saying because it doesn't match up with what others have told you." 

"I am listening, but what he's saying doesn't make sense," SooHyun said. "Why would he care about me? Why not some other slave? Why did it have to be me?"

"Ask him, then. Ask him, and be open to the answer," KyuHyun said. "Whatever it may be." 

"Why are you doing this?" SooHyun stood up, starting to pace. "You're just like him, I don't understand. Why does he have to push so much? Why do things have to change? I _like_ things the way they are, I like being what I am."

"Do you really, or do you just like it because that's all you've known?" KyuHyun asked, watching him. "Hey, I understand. I might not have had another master first, but the breeding house isn't exactly a fun place, especially when you're stuck there past the usual selling age. This might be scary at first, it was very scary for me. But believe me when I say there's something much better waiting on the other side." 

"And if I don't do what he wants, will he turn around and sell me to someone else?" SooHyun asked, looking over at him.

"No," KyuHyun chuckled. "That's a good kid you've got there. Why do you think he's going to sell you?" 

"Because I'm not pleasing him," SooHyun said. "He keeps telling me to be myself... but... I am. This is all I know and I don't know how to be someone different. I don't know how to be you, or KyuJong. I'm disappointing him because of it."

"That isn't enough to make him want to sell you," KyuHyun replied. "You're not disappointing anyone. Do you think I got to be like this in a week? This is nearly four years later, SooHyun. In four years, maybe you'll be in the same spot as I am, telling this to someone else just like someone once told me." 

"What if... what if I don't want to be you?" SooHyun asked. "If.. it's something that I want, then he would respect that right?"

"Of course he would. But you have to _tell_ him what you want," KyuHyun nodded. "And if what you want changes, you have to tell him then too." 

"But... he would be disappointed," SooHyun said, shaking his head. "I would have failed him. I just want him to be happy with me."

"And do you think he would be happy to find out you were lying to him and going along with whatever he said when it wasn't what you wanted all along?" KyuHyun asked, sighing. Had he been this complicated? 

SooHyun's eyes widened at that. "I never considered I was lying to master," he said, shaking his head. "I have to tell him, I have to be punished," he said, turning to go to the stairs.

"Hey," KyuHyun got to his feet, stepping in front of SooHyun. "You're missing the whole point of what I said. Forget about punishments for two minutes, and think on what we just talked about." 

"Do... do you think he'll be happy if I tell him I don't want to be what he wants me to be?" SooHyun asked.

The snake sighed softly. "I'm not KiBum, so I can't answer that for him. He might be, he might not be. But he _will_ be unhappy if you lie to him." 

"This is all very confusing," SooHyun shook his head. "Sometimes I think it would have been better if KiBum hadn't of bought me. He'd be less frustrated and I at least knew what I was supposed to do."

"Do you really believe that?" KyuHyun tilted his head to the side, arms folded across his chest. "If you had the choice to go back to your old master, would you?" 

"No, but sometimes I think about it," SooHyun admitted, looking away. "He never wanted to own a slave in the first place and made a rash decision. Maybe he regrets it now."

"If he's here talking to Zhou Mi, then he doesn't regret it," KyuHyun chuckled, glancing back at the stairs. He wondered if they were done talking down there yet. 

As if on cue, Zhou Mi's voiced carried up from below. "KuiXian! Someone's at the door, it's probably Geng, can you let them in?"

KyuHyun blinked. "You're closer to the door than I am!" He called down the stairs, hearing KiBum laughing. "Oh fine, be lazy." He hurried down the stairs to get the door. "Come on SooHyun." 

"Thank you, KuiXian," Zhou Mi said, watching the two Signs descend the stairs. "I'm having a nice conversation with KiBum and didn't want to interrupt," he argued, looking back at KiBum. "A club you said? A club about what?"

"About Sign rights," KiBum straightened proudly.

"What's all this? Wait, wait, I want to hear this," KyuHyun pointed at them as he went to the door. Unlocking and pulling it open, he stepped aside. "Well, it's a full house."

Han Geng stepped in, followed by HeeChul. The Chinese man blinked when he saw KiBum and SooHyun. "Uh…sorry, is this a bad time?" 

"Never, come in Geng," Zhou Mi said, waving the two in. "Geng, this is one of my former students, KiBum. KiBum, this is Senator Han Geng, and... HeeChul. Either of you need anything?"

"Liquor," HeeChul grumbled, flopping down on one of the couches and stretching out. He eyed SooHyun who was skulking at the edge of the room. "KyuHyun, there's a goat in your house."

"Thank you Captain Obvious, that's SooHyun," KyuHyun said, going to drop down next to Zhou Mi. "He's with KiBum."

"Pleased to meet you," KiBum bowed politely to the senator. "Uh…come and sit down, SooHyun."

Smiling and nodding in return to KiBum, Han Geng walked to the couch where HeeChul was and sat down. "Don't mind HeeChul, he can survive an hour or two until I restock his liquor cabinet." 

SooHyun did as told, but he looked hesitant and jumpy, an observation Zhou Mi didn't miss. "KiBum was just telling me about a club he had started, one you started at school? And it has to do with Sign's rights?"

"Yeah," KiBum nodded. "I started it with my best friend Henry in our second year, after visiting Canada. It took a long time to catch on, but this past semester it's really grown. We reached 250 members last week, and there's sister clubs starting up in a couple other universities around Seoul."

"Wow," Han Geng blinked. 

"That's... impressive," Zhou Mi said, a little shocked at those numbers. "What gave you the idea to do this? Was it because of your visit to Canada? I remember you told me about that, about the parade and Liberation Day."

"Yeah, it was that in part," KiBum nodded. "Everyone just looked a lot happier there, Sign and human. And it was also…" He frowned, resisting the urge to look at SooHyun beside him. "Remember when you told me that the easiest thing to do would be to start a conversation? Right after I left your office, I ran into a Sign in the stairwell and accidentally got him in trouble with his owner. I just…didn't want to stand by and not do anything anymore, after that. I thought if I could talk to people and convince at least a few, it was better than just standing around pretending nothing's wrong." 

"Well, I have to say I may have been trying to nudge you in that kind of direction..." Zhou Mi said, noticing the way SooHyun looked sharply at KiBum. "But I never expect that you would take what I said and run with it like you did. I'm very proud of you, KiBum."

KiBum smiled. "We haven't been able to do anything though…not yet. We've had a couple fundraisers, and have some street campaigns planned for the end of the semester and through the summer."

"How did you get so many to sign on?" Han Geng was curious. "Sign rights are still a very taboo subject."

"Oh, uh…I managed to get us a tour of the inside of the Bucheon breeding house," KiBum looked down. KyuHyun winced. "I'd thought we'd lost half our members after that, but they all came back a couple weeks later, and brought all their friends with them." 

"... You're a brave man, braver than I am," Zhou Mi said, glancing over at KyuHyun out of the corner of his eye. He leaned forward slightly, his expression grim. "I will have to caution you though, KiBum. What you're doing is admirable, but I want you to be very careful. I know your family, and I also know what house you share land with. If he were to catch wind of what you're doing, it could be very dangerous for you... and your brother."

KyuHyun watched KiBum pale as the meaning of Zhou Mi's words sunk in. "…He wouldn't go after my brother, would he? Hyung doesn't…I haven't spoken with him since first year, he doesn't know anything about this." 

"You grew up near him, you know he's a sadistic, manipulative asshole," Zhou Mi said. "I wouldn't put anything past him. Be _very_ careful. At least until you have more support, limit the amount of public events you involve yourself with. I don't want you to think I'm discouraging you in any way, because I think what you're doing is so important, but you have to think of the ramifications of what you're doing if anyone was to find out. The only people who know what my objective in being Games Commissioner is, are sitting in this room. Because these are the only people I trust enough to know. If the senate knew Geng was helping me? He would be deported. I would lose KuiXian. Those are the ramifications for me and my friends if people were to find out. You, and your family would have so much to lose if Master Jung were to find out."

KiBum looked down at that, biting the inside of his cheek. Zhou Mi was right. This was so important…but he couldn't let this hurt HyungJoon. He had to go about this very carefully.

"Are you the visible leader to this club, right now?" Han Geng asked.

"Yeah," KiBum nodded, looking up.

"You should pick someone you trust to lead instead," Han Geng smiled sadly at him. "You can still do what it is you're doing, but someone else will have to be the face of the club, for your brother's sake."

Kevin… Thinking about that, KiBum nodded. He'd have to talk to Kevin. "I understand." He breathed in deeply, looking up at Zhou Mi.

"We'll all be fine, so don't look so glum," KyuHyun stretched out, wrapping one arm around Zhou Mi's shoulders. "Just have to watch where we step, is all." 

"Exactly, and we will," Zhou Mi nodded. "We didn't get this far without being careful, and we will continue to do so. And nothing any of us has said today will leave this room. We know nothing about KiBum's club, and he knows nothing about what KuiXian and I are doing in the games. Nor does he know about what Geng's doing in the senate. Can everyone here agree to that?"

"I can agree to that," KiBum nodded.

"Agree to what, I've already forgotten," Han Geng said with an easy smile.

"No one listens to me anyways," KyuHyun snorted, leaning against Zhou Mi. "Or HeeChul. SooHyun?" 

"Like I would risk Geng being sent to China," HeeChul grumbled irritably.

SooHyun had all eyes on him and he shrunk visibly, ears flat. "I... don't understand what," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize," Zhou Mi smiled warmly at him. "But it may be for the best you don't know what we're talking about, just in case."

Lips quirking, KiBum rested his hand on SooHyun's shoulder lightly. "It's okay," he murmured. Straightening, he smiled at Zhou Mi. "I think we should get going…thank you for taking the time to talk to us, professor." 

"You're very welcome KiBum, I hope I could help at least," Zhou Mi said, standing to see KiBum and SooHyun to the door. "And you don't have to call me professor, I'm not your teacher anymore. Call me Zhou Mi, please."

"Or you can call him stick legs, like I do," HeeChul said, earning himself a frosty look from Zhou Mi.

KiBum laughed at that. "I'd rather stay on his good side," he said, bowing to those left as he and SooHyun stepped out into the hallway. "Have a good day."

"See you around," KyuHyun called as the door closed after them. "That's it, they're never coming back, HeeChul's scared them off." 

"If HeeChul can scare them away, then I have little hope of their club doing much of anything," Zhou Mi said, coming back to sit down. "How did your talk with SooHyun go by the way? He looked more frightened coming down then he did going up."

"He's…far gone," KyuHyun shook his head. "I'm not sure if anything I said made a difference, so I hope you had better luck with KiBum."

"What's all this?" Han Geng blinked. 

"KiBum is having some difficulties with SooHyun," Zhou Mi said, pursing his lips. "Much in the same way I had difficulties with KuiXian in the beginning. KiBum's difficulties seem far more difficult than mine were though, and I do worry about how they'll get past it. KiBum's heart is in the right place at least."

"That's what matters most, he seems like a good kid," Han Geng nodded. "I'm more worried about Master Jung catching wind of that club than those two getting along though. If they really have that much people already…maybe students can help after all." 

"KiBum managed to do what I failed at," Zhou Mi nodded. "Getting college kids interested in Sign's rights. I'm a little envious of that... but yes, Master Jung is a problem. One that not even you or I can help with. That man has hooks in every major player in the country. I can only imagine it's been difficult in senate to work around him and his influence."

"Yes, but we're doing the best we can," Han Geng sighed. "The main problem is that even those who dislike him fear standing in his way. Not that I'd imagine it's been any easier in the ring," he smiled crookedly at Zhou Mi.

"Hell no," KyuHyun groaned. "That man is insufferable." 

"I just wish there was more I could do about him," Zhou Mi sighed. "He's the biggest obstacle I face in getting some of the rule changes I want in place. I wish he would retire and take his meddling and abhorrent views elsewhere."

"I don't understand why a fighting house owner can have so many people under his thumb," HeeChul said. "I wonder how much power he'd really have if he was just another senator and not a financial backer to campaigns."

"That's anyone's guess. He'd either have half his current power, or just find ways to expand his reach through the senate." Han Geng frowned. "He's been delaying on passing the house over to his son YunHo. It's been mentioned a few times… A little push, maybe…"

"Speak in full sentences," KyuHyun said. Sometimes Han Geng got distracted by his thoughts and wandered back into half-Korean, half-Mandarin fragmented sentences.

Han Geng looked at him. "I'm just wondering if applying a little pressure wouldn't get him out from under your hair, Mi." 

"Pressure how?" Zhou Mi tilted his head slightly. "What's been keeping him from doing it?"

"Who knows what his real reasons are, but he's been citing that YunHo isn't ready to take over the house yet, he isn't competent," Han Geng said. "Which everyone knows isn't true. If I could…convince him he would have more opportunity in senate than in the ring, he might be more open to leaving the house to YunHo." 

"That would put you and him right up against each other," Zhou Mi said. "Would you be able to handle that?"

"Only one way to find out," Han Geng sighed. "At least he would be out of one of our hairs, you'll owe me," he chuckled tiredly. 

Zhou Mi chuckled softly at that, shaking his head. "Geng, I owe you more than I could ever repay in a lifetime. If you think that could work, then we can try it."

"It's better than waiting for the other senators to agree on anything, and gives me something to do in the meantime," Han Geng chuckled. "But your warning to KiBum applies to you too. Be very careful Zhou Mi, you're making some powerful enemies." 

"I know," Zhou Mi nodded, closing his eyes and sighing softly. "Change isn't for the faint of heart, that's for sure."

"We're fine," KyuHyun frowned, nudging Zhou Mi lightly. "All of us. These are changes that have to happen." 

"Yes they are," Zhou Mi smiled, finding KyuHyun's hand and holding onto it tightly. "So important."

"Anyway," HeeChul rolled his eyes. How many times were they going to have this conversation? "Are we going to have dinner or what, I'm starving."

"Are we a catering service now?" KyuHyun chuckled, fingers curling around Zhou Mi's in return.

"No, I wanted to see if you wanted to try out some new recipes with me, Mi," Han Geng smiled widely. "I have the ingredients already." 

"Oh?" Zhou Mi's eyes opened and he looked at Han Geng with a smile. "Cook with you? I'd love to."

"Great, you two working in the kitchen together means less Korean and more Mandarin," HeeChul groaned.

"But you get good food out of it," Han Geng replied, standing. "I'll be back with everything."

"Sorry HeeChul, guess you should learn Mandarin," KyuHyun stretched out on the couch as Han Geng headed to the door. 

"But then he wouldn't be able to complain about it," Zhou Mi said, switching to Mandarin. "And he so likes to complain."

"Well I guess we can't take away _all_ his fun," KyuHyun replied in the same language.

"I'm not sure if this is going to backfire on me somehow later," Han Geng responded in kind, looking back at them with a crooked smile. 

HeeChul scowled at each of them in turn, crossing his arms over his chest. "Geng, I hate your friends."

"I hate to tell you, but they're your friends too," Han Geng laughed, slipping out the door and closing it behind him. 

"I was hoping he wasn't going to say that," HeeChul sighed. "Bring me back liquor!" he called, sounding desperate. It had the promise to be a long, yet fun, night.

*****************************23

It took about half an hour to get back to the school dorms, KiBum glad it was the weekend and he didn't have to worry about classes. Though he did have some research papers to go over. Sighing as he unlocked the dorm door and stepped in, he kicked off his shoes. "I need to get some studying done, there's a research outline due next week." 

SooHyun didn't respond to that, shutting the door behind them and immediately dropping onto his knees, forehead against the floor. "Forgive me Master," he said, body trembling. "I didn't mean to lie, I would never lie to you I promise."

"…What?" KiBum blinked, turning around in utter confusion. "What's this about?" He crouched down in front of SooHyun. 

"KyuHyun, he told me I lied to you," SooHyun said, not budging or looking up. "I didn't mean it. I just wanted to please you Master, but I don't want to be like KyuJong, or KyuHyun. I want to be me, please forgive me."

"I…I'm not sure I understand the problem," KiBum blinked. "How is that lying to me?" 

"He said I was lying about not telling you what I want," SooHyun replied. "I'm sorry, sir. I'll never lie again."

KiBum looked at the goat in confusion, before sighing and sitting down on the floor properly. "I'm not sure what all this about lying is, but there's nothing wrong about not wanting to be someone else. I…I owe you an apology, I'm sorry for trying to push you so much. Please sit up SooHyun, I'm not going to hurt you." 

SooHyun wailed, fingers reaching across the floor to tug at KiBum's pant legs. "No sir, you don't have any reason to apologize to me, it's my fault for not listening sir," he said, half sobbing. "Please, punish me as I deserve."

Alarmed at the tugging on his pants, KiBum scooted back out of reach quickly. "SooHyun, I'm not punishing you," he managed to keep his voice level. 

That finally brought SooHyun's head up, and he looked at KiBum with wide, horrified eyes. "Have I displeased you that much sir? Are you going to give me to the Games Commissioner? Is that why we went to see him?"

"No, it had nothing to do with anything like that," KiBum shook his head. Looking down, he reached out and covered one of SooHyun's hands with one of his own. "Just relax, and we'll talk about it, okay? You're not being punished, and I'm not giving you away to anyone." 

SooHyun looked at the hand on his and then back at KiBum as he slowly shifted back up. "I'm very confused sir. I don't understand what I'm supposed to do."

"Anything," KiBum said. Fingers curling around SooHyun's more securely, he slowly shifted to stand. "Anything you want. If that's doing laundry and reorganizing my desk on me, then you can do that. If that's eating flowers, you can do that. Whatever you're comfortable with." 

"But you don't like it when I do those things," SooHyun said, getting up as well. "You complain when I do your laundry like I'm supposed to. Or when I try to clean. Am I not supposed to clean? What if I want to clean?"

"If that's what you really want to do, then you can clean," KiBum said, bringing SooHyun to sit down on the edge of the bed. "I complain because…I'm not used to having anyone wait on me hand and foot like this. Even with servants and slaves around, I've always done my own chores. But if that's something you're comfortable doing, then go ahead. Just don't tire yourself out too much." 

"Never too tired to serve you, sir," SooHyun said. "I... am happy when I serve you. It's what I want to do," he said firmly, following KyuHyun's advice as best he understood.

KiBum's lips quirked a little. "If that's what you want to do, then okay. Whatever makes you happy, that's what's most important to me." 

"I want to know... what would make you happy sir," SooHyun said softly.

"Seeing you happy," KiBum squeezed SooHyun's hand lightly. "Seeing you smile and be comfortable, and not afraid…that would make me happy." 

"Then you should know that I am," SooHyun said, lips quirking slightly in a half smile. "Being here, with you, makes me happy. Even if I don't know what's going on half the time, just seeing you makes me happy."

"I'm glad to hear that," KiBum chuckled, eyes crinkling slightly. "I went to see Zhou Mi today because I wasn't sure if you could be happy with me. If I was doing what would make you happy. I just needed advice from someone who had been in a similar situation. I'm sorry if I scared you into thinking I was giving you away." 

"I should have known you wouldn't," SooHyun said, looking down at their hands that were still joined. "I know you wouldn't do that to me... because you believe in the rights of Signs and.. you would want me to make that kind of choice myself, right?"

"Right," KiBum's eyes softened. "From now on, you always have a choice. And if you ever find you're not comfortable with something…all you have to do is tell me." 

SooHyun's brow furrowed at that, and he looked up at KiBum again. "Sir... it makes me uncomfortable when you treat me like... like a human. I don't know if I'll ever be like KyuJong or KyuHyun and learn to read and write, or have hobbies. That's not who I am. This is new to me, and it's very scary."

"You don't know how to read and write?" KiBum blinked at that. He should have known that already. "I…I'm not sure what to do about that," he sighed softly. "How do you want me to treat you? I speak to all the slaves back home this way, not just KyuJong. Would it make you feel better if I stop trying to find hobbies for you?" 

"It would," SooHyun nodded. "Don't try so hard to make my life better... I like my life as it is right now. I couldn't have asked for a better master... even if he doesn't think of himself that way."

No, KiBum didn't think of himself as a master; he never wanted to be any sort of master, and it hurt to hear the word coming from the goat. "Okay…I'll ease up on that, if it'll make you feel better. But you have to promise me something." KiBum looked at SooHyun beside him. "If there's ever anything you want to do in the future…anything at all, even if it's just visit somewhere new…you tell me, okay?" 

"I will," SooHyun nodded, breathing a small sigh of relief. "I don't really have anywhere in particular to go though... I'd rather stay with you." His expression pinched slightly and he looked like he was fighting himself about something. "I want you to be happy sir, and I know it would make you happy if I didn't think of myself as a slave or as unequal. I admire people like KyuHyun who can say his master's name without being punished... is that what you want?"

KiBum's brow furrowed and he looked away, trying to think of how to phrase what he was thinking without breaking his new resolution not to force SooHyun to change. "The name 'master'…it makes me very uncomfortable, because I don't see myself as that kind of person, and I don't want to. But I understand if you don't feel comfortable calling me by my name. If you want…we can compromise, and you can keep calling me sir if it suits you better." 

"This... is going to be an adjustment for both of us," SooHyun said. "It would be an honor to call you by your name, with your permission... I just don't know if I'm ready for that honor." His head tilted slightly. "KyuHyun... he reeked of Zhou Mi, they're intimate. The same with HeeChul and Han Geng. they say each other's names as... lovers would."

"Uh…oh," KiBum blinked. There were some things he didn't need to know about people, and that was one of them. "Does that bother you?" 

"I don't think so," SooHyun shook his head. "It's just... strange. If we hadn't had talked to them, I would have assumed KyuHyun and HeeChul were just... bedwarmers. But they're more than that. Until I met you I didn't think it was possible for a human and sign to be together in that way."

The younger man's lips quirked slightly. "Anything's possible. If they love each other, there's no reason they shouldn't be together. It just makes it sad that they can't declare that publicly…but it's another reason why what we're doing is so important." 

"They must care about each other a lot to go through so much just to be together," SooHyun said, lowering his eyes. "You told them that the reason you started the club was because of a slave you had got in trouble... you were talking about me weren't you?"

"…Yeah," KiBum nodded, frowning. "I know you don't remember what happened back then, but that run-in did a lot to convince me that what's happening now is something that has to change, and that I'm not willing to just sit by and let bad things happen to people who don't deserve it." 

"I do remember," SooHyun said softly. "I remember you being kind and trying to not get me into trouble... You were the first human here to look at me like I wasn't a piece of furniture. How could I forget that? I kept an eye out for you after that, saw you in the halls but you didn't see me. When you walked into that dorm room, I felt something I hadn't felt before and was so scared."

"Why were you scared?" KiBum asked quietly, turning more towards SooHyun. He still hadn't let go of the goat's hand, their fingers gently intertwined. "When I asked you about meeting on the stairs, it didn't look like you remembered." 

"I was scared that you wouldn't be as kind as I remembered," SooHyun replied. "I... didn't want Master finding out about us having talked, or met before. I didn't actually tell him about it. If he knew I had kept something from him..." he looked away, his fingers reflexively tightening on KiBum's.

"Hey…you're safe now," KiBum murmured. Reaching out, he lightly touched SooHyun's cheek to coax the goat into looking at him. "That asshole can't hurt you anymore, no one can. I won't let them." 

SooHyun turned back to look at KiBum, smiling a little at the words. "I wish there were more humans like you sir. So kind, and wonderful. I don't understand why you make me so happy."

"I'm just happy that you're happy," KiBum smiled softly in return. "And I'm even happier that you feel comfortable talking to me like this." This would have never been possible a month ago, he knew. 

"It... feels nice to be able to talk with you," SooHyun murmured. "I'd like to do it more often. I want what they have... to be comfortable with you like they are. Is that okay?"

"It's more than okay, SooHyun," KiBum chuckled. "I'd be happy to talk to you like this more." Realizing he still had his hand against SooHyun's cheek, he reluctantly lowered his arm. He still held onto the goat's other hand though. "You have an amazing smile, I hope I'll get to see it more often." 

"Feels weird to smile so much," SooHyun said, fighting the blush overtaking his cheeks. "I think you look better with a smile too, sir. Better than me."

"How about we just say we both look better with smiles, and call it even," KiBum shook his head, looking down at their hands. "Can I just…have one minute to not look at you as a slave, and you not look at me as a master? Then we can come back to this, whatever this arrangement is now. For a minute, could you look at me as just KiBum?" 

SooHyun gave KiBum a speculative look, but he nodded. "Okay... I can try? Why?"

"Because…I want to do something, but I don't want you to look at it as a master and a slave thing," KiBum chewed on his lower lip nervously. "Just for a minute, us as equals. Please?" 

"That's... not an easy thing to do, but I'll try," SooHyun said. "What is it you want to do?"

KiBum looked up at the goat, exhaling slowly as their eyes met. Sitting as close together as they were, KiBum didn't have to lean in far to brush his lips softly against SooHyun's in the ghost of a kiss. 

SooHyun took in a short breath of surprise, eyes widening at the kiss. He pulled back a little, looking into KiBum's eyes for a moment before leaning back in to give KiBum a kiss back, though a little firmer this time.

Some of the tension in KiBum's shoulders relaxed when the kiss was returned. His eyes slipped closed, free hand lifting to gently cup SooHyun's cheek. There was no pressure, KiBum not trying to go any further than that, just enjoying the kiss.

He pulled back slightly after a long moment, eyes opening to look into SooHyun's again. "I hope that was okay," he whispered. 

"Yes, it was... KiBum," SooHyun replied, a smile tugging at his lips before pulling back a little more. He looked down at their hands, covering KiBum's with his own. "I didn't think... When you rejected me before, I thought you weren't... that you didn't like me."

It was impossible to miss how KiBum's whole expression lit up when his name was used, instead of 'master' or 'sir'. "When did I reject you?" he blinked in some confusion, thumb lightly brushing against the back of SooHyun's hand. 

"That first day, after master had left," SooHyun said. "I offered, and you rejected me. I didn't offer because master had said to, but because I wanted to."

"Oh, I… I thought it was because JaeSoo said to," KiBum shook his head. "It's not that I don't like you…I do. You're handsome, sweet and your ears are absolutely adorable," he smiled sheepishly, looking down at their hands as well. "But I don't want any of this to come across as a human taking advantage of a slave." 

"But you wouldn't do that," SooHyun frowned. "You wouldn't hurt me like that, I know you wouldn't. You told me to tell you when I want something... well I do."

KiBum lifted his head, searching SooHyun's eyes. "You want this?" he murmured. "Are you sure?" One hand was still against SooHyun's cheek, and he lightly tucked a few strands of hair behind one goat ear. 

"Yes," SooHyun answered. "I like kissing, I like you, I like kissing you. Have wanted to kiss you for a while. Is that okay?"

"It's more than okay," KiBum smiled at that. "As long as you understand that I didn't kiss you as any kind of master." He rested his forehead lightly against SooHyun's. 

"I know," SooHyun said, his free arm sliding around KiBum's waist. "Like this, I can think of you as not my master... but KiBum."

KiBum chuckled softly. "I like hearing you say my name," he murmured, tilting his head slightly to kiss SooHyun again, eyes closed. 

"Will still be hard for me to say it often," SooHyun replied once he'd returned the kiss and pulled back. 

"I know," KiBum smiled at him sadly. "I'll take what I can get. And I think our minute's up." 

"Does... that mean I can't kiss you again?" SooHyun asked, crestfallen.

"No," the other man laughed quietly at that. "I said that you can do whatever you want, remember?" 

"So I can kiss you whenever I want?" SooHyun asked. "I can kiss you again?"

"If that's what you want, I'm not going to say no to more kisses," KiBum grinned. 

SooHyun didn't reply to that, pulling KiBum closer and nearly pushing them both down on the bed with his kiss. This was something he had been wanting to do for a very long time, maybe he was a little too eager.

Squawking when he nearly fell over, KiBum was quickly distracted by the kiss. His eyes closed as he returned it, one hand running through SooHyun's messy hair as his other arm looped around the goat's neck loosely. 

It was a good deal of time before SooHyun finally pulled himself away, panting at the lack of oxygen. By then, he'd pulled KiBum down onto the bed with him, one arm holding himself up, the other hand having slid up the underside of KiBum's shirt and rested on his side. There was a question in SooHyun's eyes as he looked into KiBum's. "What would you like?" he whispered, fingers brushing over KiBum's skin.

"Huh?" KiBum blinked, dazed and flushed. He was a little too out of it to really think about the goat's sudden boldness, mind still on the kiss. "Like what?" His fingers traced the edge of SooHyun's ear, the fur soft against his skin. 

SooHyun shuddered at the touch to his ears, his eyes fluttering and he let out a fairly low groan. "Would you like me to suck you?" he asked once he could get his head screwed on right enough to answer the question.

Blinking repeatedly, KiBum's face heated up as he processed that. "Wait…what?" Something wasn't entirely right here, and as happy as he would be to continue… "That's…a little fast SooHyun, isn't it?" 

"It is?" SooHyun blinked back. "I don't understand what you mean. Is this not what people do? To be intimate?"

"Yes, but…" KiBum frowned, knowing why he couldn't agree to this. "You still think of me as your master, don't you." 

"Yes, but you told me if there's something I want to tell you," SooHyun replied. "I want to, not because you're my master."

"Then, why?" KiBum asked, looking into SooHyun's eyes. 

"Because..." SooHyun faltered slightly, brow furrowing as he pulled away to sit up properly. "Because I want to... because I like you and I want to make you happy. Sex makes people happy, that's what it's for."

Feeling the loss of the hand from under his shirt, KiBum slowly sat up too. "Yeah, but…you still think of me as your master," he said quietly. "You said you won't even be using my name most of the time. It would bother me to have sex when you think of me as a master." 

"I... don't know how to get past that," SooHyun said, shaking his head. "You _are_ my master. But I like you, I like kissing you and I would like to be more with you. Why isn't that enough?"

"I'm sorry," KiBum looked down. "I like kissing you too. But unless we're in a relationship as equals, I wouldn't feel comfortable having sex with you." 

"Oh... very well," SooHyun nodded, getting back up to his feet. "Would you like me to get you something to eat, sir?"

KiBum's shoulders slumped at the word 'sir', and he closed his eyes. "No, I'm fine. I'm just gonna go take a shower." Standing, he went to the dresser and pulled out new clothes. 

"Very well sir," SooHyun replied, hands clasped in front of him as he sat down on his cot. "I'll wait here."

It had been a bad idea to try kissing SooHyun, KiBum thought, unable to even look at the goat as he left the room. There had been no chance of a good outcome, because to SooHyun, they weren't equals. He should have just stopped while he was ahead. As it was now, he had to hope that the long conversation they'd had earlier wasn't gone to waste, and do his best to ignore how much it hurt. 

**********************************24

By the time tournament season had started, KyuHyun and Zhou Mi were used to the routine their lives had taken. Their mornings and afternoons were taken up by the games. Zhou Mi had put together an amazing opening ceremony for this year, one the crowds seemed to like as the stands filled more than the year before. The shareholders seemed pleased with Zhou Mi's work with the games as well, or at least rarely complained about anything. The crowd finally began responding to KyuHyun's commentary, shouting in reply whenever he asked a question of them. The fighters respected him, those hostile encounters from before decreasing.

It wasn't a lot, but it was enough for now. One step at a time.

KyuHyun watched the two last fighters for the day approach the ring. Two more days, then the pre-tournament would be over. A month to relax before the first round began. Maybe he and Zhou Mi could get out of the city for a while, the sign of all the cement buildings was beginning to make the snake twitchy.

"Fighters take your positions! And begin!" He brought his hand down, and stepped back as the monkey and snake clashed.

Up in the commissioner's box, there was a knock on the door before Han Geng opened it with a smile. "Hey Mi." 

"Hey, you're late," Zhou Mi said, looking towards the door with a pout. "I take it the legislation proposal meeting went long? How did it go?"

"It's going to take a bit more work," Han Geng sighed, going to sit down next to HeeChul on the couch. "Senate's slow to pass anything, you know that. Would rather argue themselves blue in the face first. But there's progress." He looked at HeeChul beside him. "Have you been behaving yourself?" 

"No, but when do I ever?" HeeChul replied, swinging his legs up onto Han Geng's lap. "I may or may not have got us kicked out of our apartment."

"…Huh?" Han Geng blinked at him, brushing some fluff off HeeChul's pants. "What did you do?" 

"I... may have pushed one of the other tenants down," HeeChul said, avoiding looking at Han Geng. "He wouldn't let me on the elevator, what was I supposed to do?"

Han Geng frowned at that, watching HeeChul. "What was he doing? Not opening the gate for you?" 

"It was in the lobby, he told me that Signs weren't allowed to use the elevator and I had to use the stairs," HeeChul said. "He stood in front of it and wouldn't let me by... He said Signs shouldn't be allowed in the building at all, that's when I pushed him."

"I've already spoken to the building manager," Zhou Mi said quietly from his chair. "He wasn't happy that HeeChul touched a human, but I think I smoothed things over. You might want to talk to him as well."

Han Geng's lips thinned; the Chinese man had a very low temper most of the time, but it was always clear when he was angry. And now he was angry. "Thank you, Mi. I'll make sure to talk to him. There's absolutely no rule against Signs using the elevator, that's just stupid." He patted HeeChul's knee lightly. "We'll get this sorted out." 

"I'm sorry Geng," HeeChul said. It was the only time Zhou Mi had ever seen HeeChul looked actually remorseful for his actions. "I didn't mean to cause trouble... I'm sorry I've put you in this position."

"Don't worry about it," Han Geng sighed, the hard edge to his eyes easing as he smiled at HeeChul. "You wouldn't have had to do anything if there weren't humans like that. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it. I'm just glad you're okay." 

HeeChul didn't reply, shifting enough so he could lean against Han Geng, an arm going around the man's waist. Intimate moments like that were few and far between. Zhou Mi rarely saw them so close, or HeeChul looking like he actually needed Han Geng's comfort. He wisely kept any commentary to himself, focusing on the screen where the match was taking place. "This is a long match," he said to ease the tension.

"It is," Han Geng nodded, wrapping his arm around HeeChul and playing with a strand of the other man's hair. "They're fighting their hardest out there." The two fighters looked like they were tiring.

With a well-placed kick, the monkey finally knocked the snake off the platform. KyuHyun smiled; finally he could go back to Zhou Mi. "And the winner of the match is the Lee monkey, HyukJae!" he called loudly to cheers. He turned away from the snake who was picking himself up from the dirt. "Thank you for joining us for another day of matches, we'll pick up again tomorrow at the usual time with—"

"Look out!" HyukJae's shout was the only warning KyuHyun had before something slammed him hard in the back. The snake was knocked right off his feet and off the platform, barely managing to twist around and avoid landing on his face as the breath was knocked out of him.

The crowd roared in disapproval as KyuHyun rolled to the side, coughing as pain spread through his back. He looked up to see the snake who'd lost standing on the platform where he had just stood. One of the large metal rods that secured the platform was in the fighter's hand. 

Zhou Mi was on his feet instantly, his expression grim as he swiftly went to the balcony overlooking the arena. Security teams were already entering the arena to subdue the snake who had attacked KyuHyun. After the last incident with the rampaging dragon, Zhou Mi had made sure the security forces reacted much quicker to any problems. And a fighter attacking KyuHyun was a major problem.

Zhou Mi didn't even need to look behind him to know his two assistants had entered the room, awaiting his orders. "Have the owner of that snake brought to me _immediately_ ," he said curtly, watching the medical team that had reached KyuHyun. "And find out KyuHyun's condition." The assistants left without a word, closing the door before any of the media got in.

"Why would a fighter intentionally attack KyuHyun?" HeeChul spoke up. "It's not like KyuHyun did anything."

"I don't know any more than you do," Han Geng said quietly, having gotten up to go to the railing. He watched the medic team get KyuHyun onto a stretcher, despite the snake's obvious protesting. One of security had picked up the dropped microphone, the monkey fighter disappearing.

Han Geng watched as the medical team managed to get KyuHyun to the edge of the field before the snake rolled himself off the stretcher, heading for the side door where security had taken his attacker. When he was thwarted from following, he disappeared into the referee room. "I don't think KyuHyun's listening to the medics very well. At least his back doesn't seem to be broken," Han Geng murmured, looking over at Zhou Mi. 

Zhou Mi barely heard him, nodding slightly as he reached for his own microphone. He rarely had to make any kind of announcement, that was usually KyuHyun's job. The audience was unhappy, Zhou Mi hoped it was more because KyuHyun had been attacked than anything. "Your attention ladies and gentlemen," he said, the crowd quieting and looking his direction. "My apologies for the rather abrupt end today. The games will continue tomorrow as planned, and let us all hope KyuHyun is well enough to return to the ring tomorrow. Thank you." He turned off the microphone and left the balcony.

"Geng, HeeChul, you two are more than welcome to be somewhere else until I'm finished," Zhou Mi said, taking a seat at his desk. "I'll let you know KyuHyun's condition when I find out more."

Frowning, Han Geng nodded. "Let's go wait outside, HeeChul," he said, one hand against HeeChul's shoulder as he left the room. They passed a man who had to be the other snake's owner, a fidgety fellow in his late thirties. 

Before the owner was let in, Zhou Mi had a quick discussion with his two assistants, and the news he heard was not good. Anyone that knew Zhou Mi knew that he was not one to get angry, but KyuHyun's life had been in danger and that was unacceptable. His meeting with the owner was short, loud, and thinly veiled threats of revoking his license and having his assets seized. In retrospect, it probably wasn't the best time for Zhou Mi hand out punishment, but it would serve as a good lesson to any fighting house; KyuHyun was never to be harmed. He threw the man out of his office with a substantial fine and a warning for the future.

Moments later, Zhou Mi was out and heading down to the fighter's wing. He rebuffed all reporters and people trying to get his attention. There was something far more important than soundbites and statements, those could wait. He was needed elsewhere.

A steward led Zhou Mi to the referee's chambers, a room Zhou Mi had only been once before and not a place he liked to think of. The last time he was here, KyuHyun refused to speak to him because he had put KyuHyun's life in danger. Would he get that same treatment now because of this? Knocking on the door, he waited a moment before opening it and slipping inside. "KuiXian?" he said softly, looking around the empty room. "Please come out KuiXian."

The snake's clothes were in a pile on the floor, one sleeve dragged half underneath the cot in the corner. The cot was a new addition to the room; KyuHyun had asked for something more comfortable than a wooden chair to rest on whenever he had a break. Now it looked like someone had tried and failed to budge the heavy thing from the corner. A quiet hiss answered Zhou Mi's plea, coming from under the cot. 

Zhou Mi's eyes settled on the cot and he sighed a little, stepping over and kneeling down on the floor. Taking in a deep, calming breath, he peeked under the bed and smiled sadly at the snake coiled up underneath. "Please, KuiXian. It's just me, you can come out and talk to me can't you?"

The snake's tongue tasted the air nervously, head moving back and forth before KyuHyun decided against staying under the cot. Slithering slowly across the floorboards, the reason for the snake's sluggish movement became clear when he was out enough for the excessive bruising along his back to show.

Leaving the cover of the cot just far enough to reach Zhou Mi, KyuHyun bumped his nose against Zhou Mi's hand, tongue flicking out. After a pause, KyuHyun coiled himself around Zhou Mi's arm. He was a large snake; over 4 feet from nose to tip. It took him a minute to get settled while hampered by his injury, body swelling before he exhaled with a puff. 

"Oh... KuiXian," Zhou Mi murmured softly, getting to a position where he could sit comfortably. There wasn't much else he could do right then, except comfort KyuHyun as best he could.

KyuHyun didn't even try to move for few minutes, head resting against Zhou Mi's hand and forked tongue tasting the man's skin every now and then. He rarely took his snake form unless he had to shed, meaning even in the almost five years since Zhou Mi bought him, he'd only been around the human as a snake a handful of times.

Some minutes later the snake seemed calmer, if still in pain. Slowly unwinding himself from Zhou Mi's arm, KyuHyun shifted back to his half-form. He winced as he sat up straight. 

Zhou Mi didn't give up his hold though, gently pulling KyuHyun to him and cradling him close. "I'm sorry KuiXian," he murmured softly. "When you're ready, we can go."

"Not your fault," KyuHyun sighed, wrapping his arms loosely around the older man and closing his eyes. "That snake was from my clutch, back at the house." 

Zhou Mi's eyes widened slightly at that. "He.. was? Then why did he attack you? I know for sure it wasn't at his master's prompting, the man is a spineless toad."

"I don't know, I didn't get a chance to ask," KyuHyun replied. "He was one of the stronger ones in the clutch; I guess he was pissed an asthmatic runt like me got a better spot than him." The snake coughed into his hand. 

"Well, you can be sure that I will get to the bottom of that," Zhou Mi said softly. "I gave his owner a reaming, and there will be even more rules about attacking the referee and the punishments for those involved. You're not a runt, you're KuiXian."

The corner of KyuHyun's lips quirked slightly. "I'm both, actually." He opened sapphire eyes to look at Zhou Mi. "Rules won't be able to protect anyone if a fighter decides they don't care about the rules anymore. I forgot about that for a while, but I won't forget again." 

"KuiXian... you don't have to continue if you don't want to," Zhou Mi said, touching a finger to his jaw. "We'll find someone else... I don't think I can take it if you were to be harmed again."

"I'm not going to chicken out now," KyuHyun replied, covering Zhou Mi's hand. "I'm finally getting somewhere with the fighters, and the crowd's actually starting to listen to me now. Where would we be if we had to start over with someone new?" 

"You would be safe, that's the important thing," Zhou Mi said, his eyes big and worried. "You're absolutely sure you want to continue?"

"I'm sure," KyuHyun chuckled, wincing a little as he leaned in to press a soft kiss to the Chinese man's lips. "I'll just not be stupid and put my back to a pissed off fighter next time." 

"That's probably a good idea," Zhou Mi replied. He ran a hand through KyuHyun's hair, patting it down a little. "I want you to see the medic while I talk to the media, okay? No arguments."

"But I don't want any of those people near me," KyuHyun grumbled unhappily. "First person to bring out any needles is getting bit, I swear…" 

"KuiXian..." Zhou Mi chided him gently, a rumble of laughter in his chest. "Do it for me. Set my mind at ease that I won't break one of your ribs if I hug you too tightly."

"Are you sure? The expression on your face would be priceless." KyuHyun grunted in pain as he pulled away to stand, picking up his clothes. He wasn't exactly steady on his feet, sitting down on the cot to get his pants on. 

"... You _want_ to be in that kind of pain just to see the expression I would have?" Zhou Mi blinked at him, rising up to his feet. "Are you going to the medic?"

"Yes, yes, I'm not going there naked," KyuHyun said, moving slowly. "Am I going to find you in the commissioner's office after?" 

"Yes, I'll be there waiting for you," Zhou Mi said. "We'll have to reschedule dinner with Geng and HeeChul though, I don't think you'll be in the mood for any company but mine tonight."

"Not really," the snake looked up at him. "I'll be up there as soon as the medics let me." 

"Okay, and no biting," Zhou Mi pointed at him as he went to the door. He let the guard standing outside know the plan, and to escort KyuHyun where he needed to go. He hated seeing KyuHyun injured in any way, and once more he was reminded just how real all of this was for them. That KyuHyun would risk his life for this cause was more than Zhou Mi could ever ask of any one, especially someone that he loved.

The walk back up to his office was short, Zhou Mi forever grateful for his assistants who kept an eagle eye on the media circling about. He gave a brief statement to the reporters gathered, not answering any questions and assured them that it wouldn't happen again and that it was dealt with. In his office, he slumped over in his chair and let his head fall onto the desk with a thump. Despite all his plans, he really wasn't made for this job and everything it came with. It was too much.

The door to the office opened again, Han Geng peering in. "Mi?" He stepped inside with HeeChul, eyes worried. "And? How is he?" 

"Alive, and complaining," Zhou Mi said, lifting his head up and leaning back in his chair. "He'll be fine... I hope. He's getting checked by the medics right now."

"Any idea why that fighter attacked him?" HeeChul asked, resuming his seat on the couch and settling in.

"No... but KuiXian says they're from the same clutch," Zhou Mi said, lips pursed. "Geng, do you think it's worth me pursuing why it happened?"

"They're from the same clutch?" Han Geng blinked, thinking about that. After a moment he sighed. "I wouldn't say so. Word's gotten out by now that the referee isn't to be harmed, and breeding house conditions are so deplorable nothing surprises me about them anymore. Unless KyuHyun insists on finding out, I don't think it would be worth it." 

Zhou Mi thought about that, nodding in agreement as he sighed. "Okay, I'll let it go for now. I made it very clear to the owner of that snake that nothing like that is to ever happen again. I'm actually surprised it hasn't happened sooner, some of the house owners don't like me or my new rules and try to test me to see if I'll stick to them. Hopefully this will serve as a lesson to any of them; don't cross me."

"Or rather, don't mess with KyuHyun," Han Geng smiled. "Are you alright Mi? You look like you could use a couple days rest yourself." 

"I am tired, but it's more my spirit is tired than anything," Zhou Mi said. "This job.. as important as it is, it's draining me. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to keep this up. It's so very worth it to be here and do what we're doing, but it's not easy. I knew going in that progress would be slow, but I feel like I'm a snail barely off the starting line."

Han Geng shook his head, standing behind Zhou Mi's chair and slowly massaging his shoulders. "You're already making great improvements here, Mi. Maybe you can't see it because you're so close to the problem, watching Signs fight every day. But from year to year, there's been a great improvement in the tournament. And it'll keep on getting better." 

"I hope you're right Geng, I really do," Zhou Mi said, closing his eyes. His shoulders relaxed a little, feeling the tension ease a little from Han Geng's hands.

"Of course he is, Geng's always right," HeeChul said. "Except of course when he's wrong... but he's right about this."

"Thank you, HeeChul," Han Geng chuckled, focusing on what he was doing.

It was half an hour before there was a knock on the door. Han Geng went to open it, and stepped back out of the way as the guard who had been escorting KyuHyun stepped in. Except the snake was now slung over one shoulder.

"The doctor wants me to tell you, keep him on bed rest for a couple days and give him these if he's in pain or tries to squirm out of it." The guard placed a bottle of painkillers on Zhou Mi's desk. "Bruised ribs and a torn ligament. He's on muscle relaxers right now and babbling about books and daffodils." 

"... Well, I guess we're going home now," Zhou Mi blinked a little. "I'm sorry Geng, we'll have to reschedule dinner for when KuiXian's... feeling better." He said, patting Han Geng's hands in thank you for the massage as he got to his feet. "If he has bruised ribs, why are you holding him like that? Take him to my car... you two can show yourself out?"

"Sure... you mind if I raid the liquor cabinet?" HeeChul said as Zhou Mi followed the guard towards the door.

"Yes, yes, fine," Zhou Mi clearly wasn't listening, gathering up his things so he could leave.

"Leave the liquor alone HeeChul," Han Geng chuckled. "We'll pick up some on the way home if you want." He held out his hands to help HeeChul off the couch. 

"But it's free," HeeChul pointed out, taking the other man's hands and getting to his feet. "So I guess we're on our own for dinner. You know what that means right?"

"I'm not sure, what does that mean?" Han Geng smiled, heading to the door. 

"It means you're making me dinner and giving me a massage," HeeChul said, glancing at Han Geng out of the corner of his eye. "Better than the one you were giving stick legs."

"I can do that," the other man laughed as they left the office. "You weren't jealous, were you?" 

"I will never be jealous of stick legs," HeeChul said, keeping his voice down. "I won."

"Won?" That confused Han Geng. "Won what, exactly?" 

"Nothing," HeeChul shook his head, looking down when they were getting too close to other people for them to continue the conversation. That of course rankled HeeChul to no end. He didn't like that he couldn't speak his mind or talk to Han Geng like he wanted to in public.

Han Geng frowned slightly, sighing as he focused on just getting them out of the crowd of people. Reaching the streets outside, he waved down a taxi and got in, telling the driver their address.

"Won what?" he asked the question again once they were on their way back home. 

HeeChul rolled his eyes, getting comfortable. "You, you idiot," he said quietly, glancing at the driver. "I won you."

The Chinese man's eyes softened. "There was never any contest." He lightly covered HeeChul's hand with his own, out of sight of the driver. 

"There was too," HeeChul shook his head. "You chose me over him, despite what I am and how good your standing would be if you were with him. Can you imagine how powerful you would be right now if you were dating the games commissioner? You'd have every senator at your beck and call."

"I don't want to date the games commissioner though," Han Geng replied. "The only person I've ever wanted is my beautiful, sharp-tongued rooster." 

"And that's why I won," HeeChul sniffed, looking at the cab window. "Doesn't mean I don't think you could have had a great life with Zhou Mi though. Sometimes I really think you're an idiot for choosing a rooster, even if we are the best."

"If you're the best, why would I be an idiot?" The human asked, smiling as he closed his eyes and made himself comfortable in the seat. 

"Because you are," HeeChul muttered. "A big, soft-hearted idiot who cooks me good food and keeps me happy and gets nothing back except for snark and good sex. Is that an even trade?"

"Don't forget the occasional feather when you forget to keep them tucked away," Han Geng cracked one eye open, amused. "I think a few more feathers would make it even." 

HeeChul made a face at him. "Are you _saving_ my feathers? You're not just an idiot, you're a weirdo. Who does that?"

"I don't see them often enough," Han Geng laughed. "I think…three times, in how many years? Am I really dating a rooster?" 

"Do you really want feathers all over your apartment?" HeeChul said, nudging at him to keep it down. "Feather's are uncomfortable and itchy in half-form, and I'd be afraid I'd get caught and cooked for dinner if I went full rooster."

"The only one around to see you would be me, and for the hassle I'd rather just buy my food," Han Geng nudged HeeChul back. "I just see KyuHyun around all the time in his half-form, and wonder what I'm doing wrong that you're not comfortable enough to do the same." 

"...What?" HeeChul's attention snapped to Han Geng at that, a sincere expression on his face for once. "You're not doing anything wrong Geng... I'm comfortable with you. Would you really want me in half form all the time? It's not a pretty sight."

"You're right, it's not pretty." Han Geng looked up at HeeChul. "It's beautiful." 

"Now you're just being sappy," HeeChul wrinkled his nose. "No, I'm a walking feather duster and leave feather's everywhere. I've got feathers all over my arms and it makes wearing clothes difficult."

"Then I'll buy you special clothes," Han Geng smiled. "There's a solution for everything, including not having to wear clothes at all when we're alone. Just don't answer the door." 

"If I were to walk around without any clothes on, feathers or no feathers, you would have a hard time concentrating," HeeChul said, giving him a level look. "I'm happy the way I am Geng, let's just leave it at that."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Han Geng backed down, realizing he was pushing too hard. Seeing they had reached the apartment, he paid the driver before getting out. "Massage or dinner first?" 

"Dinner first," HeeChul said, climbing out after him. "Then massage. Or massage with dinner. We'll see."

"Alright," the other man chuckled. "Either way, I have to work on dinner first." He was glad to see no sign of their neighbors as they approached the elevator, but that made him think. "Oh…I have to go speak with the landlord. Are you okay to head up first? I'll be there in a few minutes." 

"... No," HeeChul said, eyeing the elevator warily. "I don't want to get in trouble again... just... go up with me first okay?"

Blinking, Han Geng smiled sadly. "Of course." He stepped into the elevator, one arm around HeeChul's waist as he closed the gate and pressed the button for their floor. 

"I'm sorry I pushed that guy," HeeChul said sullenly. "I don't want us to get kicked out... I like it here."

"Don't be sorry, he deserved it," Han Geng shook his head. "I'll speak with the landlord about it, and it'll be fine." 

"Do you go around pushing people because they deserve it?" HeeChul remarked, looking up at him. He stepped off the elevator when the gate opened, looking back at Han Geng. "It's not what people do... being violent and hurting others. It's what animals do."

"Hey…you're not an animal," Han Geng said quietly, watching him get out. "And don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You're HeeChul, and HeeChul doesn't stand for stupid people. Everyone has their limit." 

HeeChul's lip quirked a little, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Hurry up, I'm getting hungry," he said, turning to go into the apartment.

Sighing, Han Geng closed the gate and headed back down to the lobby. The meeting with the landlord was short, the Chinese man saying what he needed to in order for them to keep their apartment. He apologized for HeeChul, but also tried to bring up his concerns about Sign safety in the building. He was fully aware he was treading on thin ice as it was, and didn't push the matter…for now.

He wouldn't always be so powerless. Sooner or later, he'd have laws in place to protect Signs throughout the city. He just wished it would be sooner, rather than later.

Finally heading back up to their floor, Han Geng paused for a moment out in the hallway to compose himself before heading into the apartment. "Your chef has returned," he said, closing and locking the door behind him. 

"Good, what are you making me?" HeeChul asked, sprawled out on the couch. "Did the meeting go okay? We're not getting kicked out right?"

"No, we're still here," Han Geng chuckled, glad to see the familiar sight. "What do you want? The usual?" He kicked off his shoes and headed into the kitchen, dropping his jacket on the back of a chair. 

"Surprise me," HeeChul replied, sitting up and resting his chin on the back of the couch to watch Han Geng. "While you were sucking up to the landlord, I was thinking about something. Zhou Mi's been doing all this work for Signs rights. He worked at the college to get students thinking about it. Students are great and all, but they're not really the power in the country and won't do much. Maybe in the long run, but not within the next couple of years."

"That's true," Han Geng nodded, moving around in the kitchen and pulling things out of the cupboards as he needed them. "Unfortunately, because they're the easiest ones to talk to. What are you suggesting?" 

"Well... like I said, Zhou Mi has the most influence and power when it comes to the games," HeeChul mused. "And then there's you in the senate and you have a number of connections... so you and stick legs would be considered part of upper level society now right?"

"I suppose so?" Han Geng looked over at him. "I never really stopped to think about it like that, it was just our goal to get in influential places so we could change things…as slow as that's going right now." 

"Right, because neither of you are really using this status to its potential," HeeChul said. "I'm just a slave, but even I know that it's people like you and Mi who set the standard for public opinion. You say something to someone at a party, and then they tell their friends, and their friends tell people at work, and before you know it you've got half the city thinking top hats and bow ties are the next fashion trend."

Blinking, Han Geng paused. "I'm not sure if top hats will ever be a fashion trend, but…I'd have to talk to Mi about that. A party, that's a good idea. We'd have to be careful what we say still; too obvious, and we'll be ousted from our positions." 

"I'm sure a great politician like yourself can bring it up in a tactful way," HeeChul said. "I'd say... you and Mi could have a very animated discussion about Signs, let other people make of it what they will and get people talking about it."

"There's an idea. I'll bring it up to him, once KyuHyun's better." Han Geng went back to making dinner. "All the other senators would have to be there for certain…" He hummed a little to himself, thinking about it. 

"Yeah... it sounds like it would be a lot of fun," HeeChul said, watching him. "Sometimes I wish I could see you in action. Being a hot shot politician, getting into political debates... you probably look hot while doing it."

"I'm not hot otherwise? That hurts," Han Geng laughed, glancing over at HeeChul. He had water boiling for noodles in no time, making the sauce. "One day. I'm not going to be giving up politics until I can make a real difference here." 

"Of course you're always hot," HeeChul rolled his eyes. "I just mean... you in your suit and tie, getting up in front of all those other senators, being commanding... it's a side I don't see of you."

"You could always join me in the senate one day…a few others bring Signs with them, it wouldn't look out of place. You could pretend to be my secretary or something," Han Geng replied. "Though you'd probably get bored fast of all the arguing." 

"I wouldn't get bored, I'd get annoyed that I wouldn't be able to speak my mind," HeeChul said. "You don't want me going there, you know how I am. I'd embarrass you."

"You're not embarrassing," Han Geng shook his head. "But you're right…it wouldn't feel right not being able to talk like this while there." He closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. "One day." He had to keep telling himself that. 

"That means I wouldn't be going to a party either," HeeChul said, looking away. "Does it ever feel like you live two different lives Geng? In your real life, your normal life you go out and have lunch dates with politicians and have friends who don't know who you sleep with at night. Then you come home to me, and we try to play house all the while keeping it a secret from the rest of the world. Doesn't anyone ask if you're married or seeing someone?"

"Sometimes." Han Geng said quietly, fingers curling against the counter. "But this _is_ my real life…you're part of my real life, a very important part." 

HeeChul quietly got up to his feet, padding over to where Han Geng was in the kitchen. "I hate this," he said, wrapping his arms around Han Geng's waist from behind, resting his cheek against the man's back.

The human ducked his head a little. "We'll get through this," Han Geng murmured, voice scratchy. "No matter how long it takes, we'll get through this." 

"At what cost?" HeeChul said quietly. "This is why I didn't want us to be together... not when it hurts so much."

"Are you saying you regret this?" Han Geng asked, not looking over his shoulder at the rooster. 

"Yes... no, sometimes," HeeChul replied, his grip tightening on Han Geng's waist. "I don't regret us when it's just you and me and we're laughing and not thinking about anything else. But when we're out in public, and I have to walk two steps behind you with my head down... I regret it. I regret you tying yourself to me and having to lie to the rest of the world."

Han Geng slowly turned around to face HeeChul. His eyes were overly bright with unshed tears. "I never regretted this," he whispered, lips brushing against HeeChul's forehead. "I never regretted _you_." 

"I know," HeeChul murmured, trying to bury himself in Han Geng's chest. "We knew this wouldn't be easy... but the articles about you and Mi don't make it any easier on me."

"Which…?" Han Geng's brow furrowed for a moment. "Oh…you mean the media thinking we're seeing each other." His arms wrapped tightly around HeeChul. "You know that's not true." 

"Well, not anymore," HeeChul said, looking up at him. "But if you were to make a statement to the press about it, and they asked you if you were really seeing someone, what would you say?"

"I'd tell them I am, and who it is can't be disclosed at this time," Han Geng sighed softly. "I'm a politician, I'm good at dodging questions. And…I don't want it to be known until this is off." His fingers brushed lightly over the rooster's soft leather collar. "Until we're finally equals." 

"I just don't want it found out and your career is over," HeeChul said, lifting his hand to take HanGeng's. "That I think would be worse than you deciding you didn't want me anymore."

"I told you." Han Geng clasped HeeChul's hand firmly. "Whatever happens, we'll deal with it. I'm not letting you go, ever." 

HeeChul didn't respond right away, his expression guarded before it softened and he smiled. "Except to save my dinner," he said, nodding towards the boiling over noodles.

"Hm?" Han Geng looked over, blinking. "Oh!" He released HeeChul to pull the top off the pot, grabbing a spoon and stirring the noodles until it stopped boiling over. The human sighed, wiping his eyes quickly before looking back at HeeChul. "It'll…still be a few more minutes." 

"No hurry," HeeChul said, chuckling a little as he went back to the couch. "I'll just be here, wasting away from hunger," he said, dramatically flopping onto the couch.

Han Geng smiled again at that, shaking his head. "It'll be worth the wait, trust me." He turned back to what he had been doing, trying to forget about the conversation that had just passed. 

****************************25

Of course Zhou Mi had loved the idea of the party, much to KyuHyun's chagrin. Within a week they had it planned and set, most of the country's elites turning out to rub shoulders. Like a shining social butterfly that he was, Zhou Mi zipped from person to person, talking, laughing, being the gracious host. Through it all, he kept KyuHyun at his side, fixing his tie when he needed it and telling him not to scowl. "It's a party," he cooed, wiggling his fingers at someone nearby. "Try to look less like I stepped on your tail, hm?"

"I think I'd rather you step on my tail," KyuHyun murmured, wisely keeping the conversation in Mandarin. The only one here who would be able to understand was Han Geng, and the senator was…somewhere. KyuHyun didn't see him just then. The snake was holding onto Zhou Mi's drink for him just then, following at his master's elbow. "How long does this last again?" 

"Another couple of hours," Zhou Mi said, stopping them in a corner of the room. "And then there's the after party for cocktails. Very exclusive guest list for that though."

"Who's on it?" KyuHyun asked, unhappy at the prospect of yet another party. Parties weren't his thing, all he had to look forward to was acting like an obedient slave. 

"You, me, of course," Zhou Mi said, nodding his head to a couple who were passing by. "Geng, and HeeChul. HeeChul's miffed he can't come to this and wants details, and drinks of course."

"Oh," KyuHyun blinked, relaxing. "Okay, I can handle that guest list. And it's good HeeChul isn't here, I'm not sure if he'd be able to hold his tongue. Especially with who Geng's talking to." He'd finally spotted the Chinese man at the other end of the room. Han Geng had struck up a conversation with Master Jung, wearing his most polite smile. 

"No, and even though Geng doesn't like it, he knows it's the best thing to do right now," Zhou Mi said, taking his drink from KyuHyun to sip at it. He spotted an uncomfortable looking younger man near where Geng and Master Jung were talking. "Ah, there he is," he grinned, striding across the floor, making a not so subtle bee line towards Master Jung's son. "You are YunHo, yes?" he said, holding out his hand. "Zhou Mi, I don't think we've been properly introduced."

Turning to Zhou Mi in surprise, YunHo's expression shifted into a polite smile as he took the offered hand, bowing politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you properly, Zhou Mi." Straightening, his eyes went to KyuHyun momentarily before returning to Zhou Mi's face. "Thank you for the invitation." 

"You're very welcome, I made especially sure you had an invite," Zhou Mi said with a grin. "I hear rumors that we'll be seeing what you have to offer the tournaments soon and I wanted to meet you before you became a star. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"With company like this, how could I not be?" YunHo chuckled quietly. "I look forward to working with you and other house owners in the tournament, though I'm not sure where you've heard these rumors from. My father is still master of the house." 

Zhou Mi glanced at where Han Geng and Master Jung were talking out of the corner of his eye, his lips quirking slightly. "You know how rumors are, five different people tell you and no one knows where they heard it from. Either way, I hope it's true. I think an old and powerful house like yours needs a bit of... new blood." His gaze shifted to YunHo's, meeting the man's eyes. "Enjoy the party, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again soon."

KyuHyun could see YunHo was trying to figure out Zhou Mi's intention with those words, brows pulling together slightly before he smiled in return. "I'm sure. Best of luck with the rest of the tournament." 

"Ah, there's Master Kim," Zhou Mi seemed to get distracted, leaving YunHo and KyuHyun behind as he waved.

KyuHyun sighed to himself; Zhou Mi was far too excited. They were approached by someone new, and if KyuHyun hadn't known better, he would have thought it was KiBum; the Kim brothers looked almost identical at first. There was a quiet rabbit beside the other man's elbow, hands clasped in front of him and nervous eyes on KyuHyun.

"Good evening HyungJoon," YunHo smiled politely at the younger man. 

"YunHo," HyungJoon said, casting wary glances around until he saw where Master Jung was. He turned his attention back to Zhou Mi, bowing politely. "Commissioner, thank you for inviting us."

"My pleasure," Zhou Mi smiled. "I was sad to hear you weren't participating in the tournaments this year. One of your fighters was injured?"

"Ah... yes, that," HyungJoon sighed a little, trying a half hearted smile. "Yes, but we will be back next year, stronger than ever."

"Good to hear, it isn't a tournament without the two rival houses competing," Zhou Mi said, his attention drawn to the Sign at HyungJoon's elbow. "This must be KyuJong? I hope you're enjoying yourself KyuJong."

KyuJong realized he was being talked to, jumping to attention. "Yes sir, thank you," he bowed politely.

Seeing the tremble in the rabbit's hands, and the way KyuJong kept glancing at him, KyuHyun sighed inwardly. Right, prey animal. "Can I bring anyone more drinks?" he asked politely. "Master?" 

"Hm?" Zhou Mi blinked at KyuHyun. "Oh, yes, drinks. Bring us all a glass of wine, KyuHyun. _See if Han Geng needs anything_ ," he switched to Mandarin. " _Let him know I want to be able to talk to him soon_."

" _I'll tell him,_ " KyuHyun answered in kind, bowing before heading off.

"There have been some rumors that you're engaged?" YunHo was asking HyungJoon, appearing unfazed by the sudden Mandarin. 

Zhou Mi saw the start of a sour look on HyungJoon's expression that was quickly covered by a smile. "It's not official yet, we haven't signed any papers, but Senator Kang has accepted the offer. Or rather, I accepted his offer that he made me give him."

"An interesting way to put it," Zhou Mi said, tilting his head slightly. "It would seem a good match, a senator's daughter and a house owner."

"Yes, a good match," HyungJoon nodded, glancing at KyuJong out of the corner of his eye. He turned his attention back to YunHo. "And what about you, has your father set you up yet with a bride?"

"No, not for lack of trying," YunHo chuckled softly, after making sure his father hadn't moved. "There will be plenty of time to worry about marriage. But congratulations on the engagement." 

"Thanks," HyungJoon nodded, looking a little uncomfortable. Zhou Mi pitied the man, who obviously had no interest in being married.

"So, HyungJoon, I had the privilege of having your brother in my class a few years ago," Zhou Mi said. 

"...Oh?" HyungJoon blinked at that. "That's... good. I hope he didn't cause you too much trouble."

"Nonsense, he was one of my star students," Zhou Mi chuckled. "You should be proud of him."

"Of course," HyungJoon agreed, looking away. "I'm glad to hear he's doing well in school though. I knew he would."

"It's been a few years since I've seen KiBum," YunHo blinked. "He graduates soon, doesn't he?"

"Your drinks," KyuHyun had returned with a tray of wine, passing out glasses to the three humans present. " _Geng says to give him five minutes,_ " He said to Zhou Mi. 

" _Thank you_ ," Zhou Mi replied, watching the conversation between HyungJoon and YunHo. For the two sons of the biggest rivalry in all of the tournaments, the fact that they got along so well was extraordinary to Zhou Mi. Their fathers and their grandfathers had detested each other, but these two could hold a conversation without an uncivil word being passed between them. Zhou Mi made little mental notes to himself about that, tucking them away for the future.

"Yeah, next year I think?" HyungJoon was saying, looking to KyuJong for confirmation. "I actually haven't seen him since he left. I figured if he was dead, someone would have notified me by now."

"That seems to be the standard for university, too busy to breathe," YunHo chuckled, sipping from his drink after thanking KyuHyun. "I'll look forward to seeing him next year then. You're both welcome over for dinner when he returns." There seemed to be an unsaid message in there, YunHo's gaze wandering towards where his father was before returning to HyungJoon. 

"If he comes back," HyungJoon said, looking down into his drink.

"Well I hope you all enjoy the party, KyuHyun says something needs my attention," Zhou Mi said, smiling brightly at all of them, including KyuJong. Turning away, he gave KyuHyun a concerned look as he walked away. 

Blinking, KyuHyun followed after Zhou Mi. They went to a separate corridor where there were no guests. "I didn't know KiBum wasn't going home," the snake mused, looking around for Han Geng who was still missing. "Did you?" 

"No, but he never really talked about home much the few times we did have conversations," Zhou Mi said, finishing off his glass of wine. "There's so much about KiBum I don't really know, but I do hope they can get past whatever it is that's going on between them. Was Geng still talking to Master Jung?"

"Yes, I can't tell if that's going well or not but considering he hasn't reverted to flustered half-Mandarin yet, I'd say it's going good." KyuHyun glanced down the hallway. "He just needed a few minutes to finish up."

Sure enough, three minutes later Han Geng appeared, approaching them with a friendly smile. "How's the party?" 

"About to get a little more interesting," Zhou Mi replied, smirking a little. "How was your conversation with Master Jung?"

"I'd say it was productive," Han Geng chuckled, switching to Mandarin. "A gentle push, that's all that was needed." 

"Somehow I had a feeling," Zhou Mi replied in kind. "Are we ready for this conversation? We have to make it look convincing."

"It'll be convincing," the other man answered, nodding. "Let's get started." 

"KuiXian, go make sure Master Jung's left the room, let me know if he's still idling," Zhou Mi said. "Geng, follow after me in about five seconds, I'm going to rope us an audience."

Smirking slightly before he schooled his expression back into a polite mask, KyuHyun turned to head back into the main room. A quick look around confirmed that both Jungs were gone. Doing a quick circuit to make sure they had actually left and weren't just in a corner somewhere, the snake headed back out into the hallway. "All clear." 

"Good, you can go relax for a bit," Zhou Mi murmured, leaning over to give him a quick kiss. Chin up, he left the hallway, eyes roaming the crowd for a target. As it would happen, the only one he saw that didn't seem to be actively engaged in conversation was Master Kim again. He felt a little bad for picking on HyungJoon so many times tonight, but there were so few in the room he thought wouldn't just run away from him in the first place. "HyungJoon, there you are," he grinned, coming up behind the young man and his rabbit.

"Uh... Commissioner?" HyungJoon had jumped a little and turned to look over his shoulder. "Was everything okay? You said..."

"Yes, just a small matter," Zhou Mi waved him off. "I actually wanted to speak with you, there was someone I wanted to introduce you to, but I seem to have lost him again..."

"Zhou Mi?" Han Geng had stepped into the room after Zhou Mi had approached HyungJoon, easy smile back in place as he made his way to them. "I'm sorry, you called for me?"

KyuHyun lingered back near the wall, keeping his distance while staying close enough to be called on just in case. 

"Ah, there you are Senator," Zhou Mi said with an easy smile. "I wanted to introduce you to HyungJoon, master of the Kim house. I'm sure you've heard of it?" he said, pressing a hand to HyungJoon's back so he didn't scurry away like he looked like he wanted to. "HyungJoon, this is Senator Han Geng."

"An honor," HyungJoon said, bowing as best he could with Zhou Mi all but shoving him into Han Geng.

Han Geng stepped back slightly so he could bow in return, giving Zhou Mi an amused look. "It's good to meet you, HyungJoon. I've only heard great things of the Kim house, both in and out of the ring." 

"Oh... well... thank you," HyungJoon said, though he glanced over at his rabbit, looking for a way out. 

"Yes, the senator was telling me something that I thought you of all the houses in the tournaments would find interesting," Zhou Mi said, winning back HyungJoon's attention. "Tell him about that legislation you just introduced?"

"Oh, yes," Han Geng blinked. "I'm working on a bill to better protect Signs in Korea. The rules against independent breeding houses were a start, but I think there's still much to be done to ensure Signs have a healthy standard of living. Wouldn't you agree?" 

"Well... of course," HyungJoon started.

"Yes, but what more could Signs really need?" Zhou Mi put in before HyungJoon could say anything else. "The Gaming Commission has done extensive studies in the past and found that Signs were being treated too well, coddled even."

"I would have to politely disagree, commissioner," Han Geng frowned lightly. "Signs that lack the basic amenities…proper food, shelter, and education…perform half as well at their tasks. Certainly, a Sign with a poor standard of living and mental health could perform basic tasks mindlessly, but they are intelligent beings capable of so much more with the proper care and protection." 

"Some would argue though that Signs don't deserve more than what they get," Zhou Mi countered. He took a risk and glanced to his side, seeing some of the groups around them stopping and turning their attention to the conversation. "They would argue that they are just animals, and if they can't perform their tasks they'll just get another one."

"Signs defy all definitions for animals," Han Geng replied. "What is it that separates humans from animals, really? Cognition, foresight, language and social bonds? If we are to agree that these are what separate mankind from the rest of the animal kingdom, then what of Signs? They have all of those things, no less than we do. Thus if we consider them of the same intelligence as humans, do they not have a right to some form of a decent environment?" 

Zhou Mi wished he could agree completely with Han Geng, to let every person know just what he thought about Signs and how they were treated. It wasn't the time though, and he had to settle for looking down slightly and pursing his lips. "Do you believe slavery should be abolished then, and Signs given their freedom?"

"That I think is something that needs to be sincerely thought about," Han Geng answered calmly. "If Signs have all these qualities that we use to label humans as different from animals, then they are closer to human than originally thought. Is it right to keep human children in cages, to separate them from their mother and father for a life of slavery? Is it right to put collars on their necks, beat and half-starve them? And if it isn't right to do it to human children…why is it okay with Signs, if they are truly no different from us?" 

"Well, I think you've given us all something to think about Senator," Zhou Mi said. "I know I'll be giving it some thought before our next meeting." He turned his attention back to HyungJoon whose expression with pinched in serious thought. "I'm sorry Master Kim, I didn't mean to keep you hostage here, enjoy the party. Senator, let's refresh your drink?"

"Thank you," Han Geng smiled pleasantly. He bowed his head to HyungJoon. "It was a pleasure to meet you Master Kim, I hope we meet again." He turned to follow Zhou Mi, hearing the soft murmurs of conversation around them begin again. Over half those in the room had been listening to their exchange. 

"Er... right, nice to meet you too sir," HyungJoon called after them. Zhou Mi led Han Geng towards the bar, motioning for the bartender to freshen up his drink.

"Well, that went absolutely perfectly if I do say so myself," Zhou Mi said, switching to Mandarin but keeping his voice low. Even if no one could understand what they were saying, he still didn't want any eavesdroppers. "We'll have to have another party after the tournament is over."

"Sounds fun," Han Geng chuckled quietly. He thanked the bartender for his drink, sipping at it lightly. "I think I'm going to head out soon though…had about enough of this particular party." 

"More interested in the one back at home?" Zhou Mi chuckled a little. "KuiXian and I will be around in an hour or so, once we're done here."

"Good luck," Han Geng replied, quirking a smile as he straightened. "A commissioner's job is never done." He headed off to make polite conversation with another senator.

"He's right about that," KyuHyun remarked wryly, close enough to hear that last comment. 

"Maybe, but in about ten minutes I'm starting to kick people out," Zhou Mi said, taking his own drink and leaning up against the bar.

"Had enough of partying?" KyuHyun asked, taking up his usual position beside Zhou Mi with his hands clasped in front of him. 

"I've had enough smiling at people who make me sick," Zhou Mi said, sighing into his glass. "At least I got to talk to Master Kim and YunHo. I foresee their houses going far."

"At least you'll have some friendly faces." KyuHyun glanced at Zhou Mi, wishing he could do more than just stand there. "An hour, then we'll be out of here." 

"Right, another hour," Zhou Mi nodded, allowing himself another moment to stay where he was and relax. "Let's make another round, then start shutting this party down. You may as well start with the staff, tell them to stop serving food and drinks. Once the free liquor stops flowing, people will leave."

"There's an idea," KyuHyun's lips quivered before he stepped away. "Then we have another party for four, and I'm looking forward to that a lot more." He bowed to the human before turning to head into the kitchens. 

"Me too," Zhou Mi agreed in a sigh. That was the only that really mattered anyway. Hopefully though, some good had been done here. Some ideas had been put out for society to hear, and maybe by the next time one of these was held, there would be some progress. He hoped anyway. He didn't know how much longer he could do this.

**************************************26

The Decerto tournament was the very last place KiBum wanted to be, ever. And yet here he was, stepping off the bus and looking up at the massive colosseum straight ahead. Right in the middle of tournament season, with matches underway. Why had he agreed to this again?

Because Zhou Mi had been the one asking him to show up. Right.

"I don't like this, at all," KiBum sighed, looking around for where he was supposed to get in. There was no reply from the goat one step behind him, making this on par with how the rest of the month had played out.

After KiBum botched up by giving in to how much he'd wanted to kiss SooHyun, any progress between them had ground to a halt. SooHyun had gone back to being the perfect wallflower slave, and KiBum had spent most of the month resisting from either beating his head against the wall or smothering himself with a pillow. Even Zhou Mi's advice no longer had any effect it seemed, and KiBum did his very best to not press SooHyun into doing anything.

Instead of letting himself stew in the frustration and depressive thoughts whenever SooHyun refused to use his name, KiBum threw himself into the club. Leadership had been passed on to Kevin, who was running the club amazingly, but KiBum still did a lot of helping behind the scenes. Only a few people knew he was still an integral part to the club, those he trusted and who knew how precarious his position was just then.

The club's roster of members had added another forty students to their list, and it was more than KiBum could have ever hoped for. They could really do this. They could really make a difference.

Finally arriving in the lobby outside the commissioner's office, KiBum hesitantly walked to an assistant. "I'm here to meet with Commissioner Zhou Mi? My name's Kim KiBum." 

"He's expecting you, if you want to head on in," the assistant said, motioning towards the door. SooHyun reached it first, opening the door and bowing to let KiBum enter ahead of him.

"KiBum!" Zhou Mi's voice floated out from inside, the commissioner waving him in as soon as he had seen the door opening.

KiBum smiled at Zhou Mi, putting SooHyun out of his mind for now as he stepped into the room. "Zhou Mi, hi. How have you been?"

"Hey," waved KyuHyun from where he was sprawled out on the couch. The snake was in the outfit of a games referee, and from the book opened over his head had either been reading or sleeping. 

"Very busy, we're already getting close to the end," Zhou Mi said, paperwork scattered all over his desk. "I'm glad you could make it down, how are things with you?" he asked, looking between KiBum and SooHyun, the latter closing the door and standing up against the wall.

Removing the book from over his face, KyuHyun just caught the slight glance towards SooHyun before KiBum smiled at Zhou Mi. The action was a little strained. "Well…we got another 40 members since we last talked, so things are going well. If we keep gaining people like this, we'll have a lot of weight to throw around."

"Come on and sit down," KyuHyun sat up and scooted to the side so there was room for both of them on the couch. KiBum walked to take a seat. 

"And what would you do with that kind of weight?" Zhou Mi asked. He wasn't oblivious to the fact that SooHyun wasn't moving away from the wall, eyes forward and blank.

"I don't know yet," KiBum sighed, rubbing his temple and looking down at the floor. "We've got some ideas for fundraisers and campaigns over the summer, but nothing solid yet. No one has any real idea where to start." 

"I guess the real question is what you want to do," Zhou Mi said, drumming his fingers on his desk. "I think forming a club to educate people about Signs is a great idea... but you obviously want to do more than that."

"I do," KiBum nodded. "And I'm not the only one. It took a long time to catch on, but I think a lot of people in the club really want to make a difference, this isn't just a passing fad." He messed up his hair with one hand. "But what can we do? We're just students still, not many people are willing to listen to a bunch of crazy uni kids. Waiting until everyone's graduated just doesn't…sit right with me." 

"It doesn't sit right with me either," Zhou Mi said, looking over at KyuHyun. "Which is why I took the internship here at the gaming commission in the first place. Being a teacher, helping students think for themselves is a noble cause, but I didn't have the time to wait for the next generation to finally do something."

"We don't want to wait either," KiBum shook his head, not looking up from the floor for a long moment. Sitting beside him, KyuHyun could see the stress in the young man's posture.

KiBum looked up at Zhou Mi finally, putting on a smile. "Why did you want to see me, anyways? I uh…usually try to stay as far away from the tournament grounds as I can." 

"Well, actually I wasn't the one who wanted to see you," Zhou Mi said, giving KiBum a sympathetic smile. Getting to his feet, Zhou Mi wandered over towards one of the windows that looked down at the street below. "You're from a fighting house KiBum... so I'm sure you've been to at least one game in your life. How do you feel about the protestors who sit outside while the tournament goes on? There's so few of them, most people don't give them a second glance."

"I…didn't even know there were protestors," KiBum blinked. He hadn't passed by any on his way in, had he? He'd been too focused on his destination and ignored the rest of it. Standing, he followed Zhou Mi to the window to look down.

Sure enough, there were about fifteen or so people sitting around the entranceway with signs and banners. "They protest the tournament? Who are they?" 

"I don't remember their organization name, but they protest in the name of Sign rights and equal protection," Zhou Mi said. "There's never been more than a handful in any given year, and most people just ignore them... but how many members did you say your club had?"

"Just…under 300," KiBum said slowly, brow furrowed in thought. "Not everyone shows up to every single meeting, but we're a pretty hard group to miss in the school now." 

"I bet you'd be hard to miss in the middle of the street too," Zhou Mi said, glancing over at him. "Kind of hard not to hear too."

KiBum took in the small group below before looking back at Zhou Mi. "…You've given me something to think about. Won't that be a hell of a mess for you though?" 

"But what could I do? Demonstrations are legal, as long as no one gets violent then I can't have people cleared from the street," Zhou Mi said, his lips quirking slightly. "Protests are actually the least of my concern... and might be able to help me in the long run."

Nodding slowly, KiBum smiled at the older man. "Well…I'll talk with the others about the protests here, I'm sure they'll find it interesting." He stepped back away from the window. "But if you didn't want to see me, who did?"

The door opened after a light knock. "Sorry I'm late," Han Geng stepped in with HeeChul. 

"KiBum, you remember Senator Han Geng," Zhou Mi said, nodding to Han Geng. "It's okay, KiBum and I were just talking anyway. Would anyone like a drink?"

"Yes," HeeChul replied, taking one of the couches for himself and stretching out. "And no ice this time KyuHyun."

"You could do with a little diluting, and why am I making your drinks, _again_ ," the snake kicked HeeChul's foot as he stood and walked to the bar. "This was supposed to be my break before I go back down there to watch people beat each other up."

"Good afternoon, Senator," KiBum bowed politely.

"Now I feel awkward, please don't do that," Han Geng chuckled, nodding and going to sit down on the arm of the couch HeeChul had claimed. "How much longer before matches resume?" 

"If there are no delays, another hour or so," Zhou Mi said, looking at the clock. "One of the fighters in the next match needs a bit more time with the medics. I offered to postpone their match until tomorrow but the house owner doesn't want to lose out on the bets already placed. Probably against his own fighter I imagine."

"Sad," Han Geng frowned before shaking his head. "I actually wanted to speak with you KiBum, Zhou Mi tells me you're planning to go into politics?" he smiled at the student.

"I…want to be a lawyer, yeah," KiBum blinked.

"Have you had a chance to work in politics yet?" Han Geng inquired. When KiBum shook his head, the Chinese man chuckled. "I've been looking for an assistant in the senate, if you have no plans for the summer. It could give you some experience dealing with politicians, and make it easier to keep in touch with us."

"Oh…Well I didn't really have anything planned for the summer," KiBum thought about that. He'd hoped to visit Henry, but knew he needed to find a job desperately. "What would being your assistant entail?"

KyuHyun wrinkled his nose as Han Geng launched into descriptions of the job, finishing the drinks and passing HeeChul his. He glanced at SooHyun at the same time, eyes narrowed. 

Zhou Mi was only half paying attention to Han Geng and KiBum at that point, having already known what it was Han Geng wanted to see the younger Kim for. It had been partially his idea after all. He saw the way KyuHyun was looking at SooHyun, and he could tell the goat was acting a bit stranger than he had the first time they had met. He looked even more pitiful now than he had before and the way KiBum's eyes had gone to him a couple times, something wasn't right.

Getting KyuHyun's attention, he motioned the snake over. "Take SooHyun and find out what's going on, he's got that dead eye thing going and I had hoped he'd be past that by now. Take HeeChul with you if you need someone to kick him," he murmured quietly to the snake when he approached.

"Well, HeeChul loves to kick people," KyuHyun murmured in return, nodding. He'd been debating saying something anyways, though hadn't been able to see an opening.

"I need to uh…get something from the referee room," the snake said. "SooHyun, can you lend me a hand? You too HeeChul," he gave the rooster a serious look. 

"Excuse me?" HeeChul raised an eyebrow at that. "Why do I have to? What were you two conspiring about?" he frowned.

"HeeChul, if you could please?" Zhou Mi asked with a smile and HeeChul let out a resigned sigh, getting to his feet.

"Hey, how come he's not moving?" HeeChul nodded towards SooHyun who was still standing like a statue against the wall.

"...KiBum?" Zhou Mi turned his attention to KiBum. "Is SooHyun okay?"

KiBum looked utterly defeated, eyes going between the others who were now looking at him, and the goat. "SooHyun, could you lend KyuHyun a hand please?" he asked quietly. 

"Yes, master," SooHyun replied, automatically getting up to his feet and following KyuHyun to the door.

That of course sent Zhou Mi's eyebrows to his hairline and he looked at KiBum in question when the three Signs left the room. "He called you master? I thought you were working on that with him? Did something happen?"

KiBum was looking down at the floor again, hands clasped tightly together in front of him. "I was. I don't really want to talk about it," he said. 

Zhou Mi exchanged a worried look with Han Geng before getting up out of his chair. He walked around his desk to sit down next to KiBum. "I don't know if not talking about it will help the situation resolve itself though," he said softly.

"There's nothing to talk about really," KiBum didn't look up at them, shoulders hunched. "I've been following your advice from last time, and I just…can't reach him. It's been getting worse, and I don't know if I'm the right person to help him anymore." 

"I'm sorry KiBum... I wish I could do more to help," Zhou Mi said. "I didn't think you would give up on him so easily though."

"I didn't give up!" KiBum's head snapped up at that, looking at Zhou Mi with wide eyes. "I've never stopped trying, this whole time. It hasn't made any difference." 

"Except the last time that we saw SooHyun, he didn't have that blank look in his eyes," Zhou Mi said. "Something happened, didn't it? KiBum I know this is bothering you, and if you explain maybe Geng and I can help? We've been there."

"I don't want to talk about it," KiBum said, looking both depressed and uncomfortable now. "It's my mistake, I can fix it."

"You don't have to go through this alone, you know," Han Geng said quietly. "We've both made some pretty horrible mistakes ourselves, we won't blame you."

KiBum looked down again, closing his eyes. He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I like him…and I made the mistake of kissing him," he said slowly. "At first I thought he felt the same way when he responded, but next thing I know he's talking about having sex and when I told him I wouldn't feel comfortable having sex with someone who thought of himself as beneath me, he clammed up and went back to acting like this. I know it was a horrible idea to even kiss him, but I've been trying to work around it since and it's just been getting worse." 

"I'm confused," Zhou Mi frowned a little. "You kissed him, and that seemed to be okay with him... and he wanted to have sex but you didn't? Because he doesn't see himself as being an equal yet, so you turned him down?"

"Yeah, and I told him that," KiBum nodded, wringing his hands together. "It was a bad idea to even kiss him…I knew he wouldn't understand, but I went and did it anyways, and I wish so much I could take it back." 

"Let me ask something... why does it bother you so much how he thinks of himself?" Zhou Mi asked. "Is it entirely for his benefit? Or is it because you don't want to be with someone who is a slave?"

"It's…both," KiBum murmured. "Not so much that he's a slave, but that he's so convinced that he's worth less, and keeps calling me master all the time. We're not equals mentally." 

"Geng, does HeeChul think of himself as a slave when he's with you?" Zhou Mi asked, looking at the Senator. "Has he ever called you master?"

"He hasn't called me master in years," Han Geng blinked. "But he still does think of himself as a slave…it's hard not to when the reminders are everywhere, including around his neck." 

"I can say pretty certainly that KyuHyun thinks of himself as a slave as well," Zhou Mi said with a small frown. "We don't treat them that way of course, but that's not something they can get over very easily when they still are technically slaves."

"I know that," KiBum closed his eyes. "But it was too early with SooHyun…he wasn't even calling me by my name yet. It felt a lot like I was taking advantage, not even knowing if he was really okay with it or if it was just because he thought that was what I wanted." 

"And what did he say when you asked him if he was okay with it?" Zhou Mi asked. "Did you ask him what it was he wanted?"

"He said it was, but…I just don't know," KiBum buried his face in his hands. 

"KiBum... do you trust SooHyun enough to make his own decisions?" Zhou Mi frowned. "Do you think he's not capable of deciding what it is that he wants? After all this talk about wanting him to make his own decisions, when he finally did, you turned him down."

"I turned him down because _I_ wasn't comfortable having sex with him," KiBum said, and even muffled by his hands there was a terse note to his voice. 

"But does he understand that," Zhou Mi leaned forward a little. "Or does he think that you didn't want to have sex with a slave."

"I thought I made it clear." 

Zhou Mi sighed and leaned back in his seat. He looked to Han Geng, not sure what to say or do at this point. "Maybe you did, but it's obvious to me that something isn't right with him. I think he misunderstood something along the way."

"It's my mistake," KiBum said quietly. "I've just got to keep trying."

Han Geng met Zhou Mi's eyes, shrugging helplessly. He didn't know enough of the situation to lend much support, and KiBum seemed to have closed down to them either way. 

Zhou Mi gave KiBum a sympathetic squeeze of his shoulder, hoping KyuHyun was having far better luck than he was. But he wasn't going to count on it.

"So what exactly is it we're getting from wherever it is you're taking us to and why did I have to come?" HeeChul asked, arms crossed and walking rather sullenly behind the other two.

"Because I said so," KyuHyun countered. Reaching the referee room, he opened the door and stepped aside. The snake didn't say anything else until all three of them were in, closing the door behind them.

"All right. What's going on, SooHyun?" He folded his arms across his chest, looking at the goat. 

Said goat looked confused, glancing from side to side and then back at KyuHyun. "I don't know? Why are we here?"

"Probably because you're acting like a piece of driftwood, what's the matter with you?" HeeChul snorted, sitting himself down on KyuHyun's bed and making himself comfortable.

"Nothing is the matter with me, we should go back if we aren't here for something," SooHyun said. "Master will need me."

"KiBum won't drop over dead in the next five minutes, and we're not leaving just yet," KyuHyun said, keeping himself strategically beside the door to stop any sudden attempts to leave. "You weren't like this last time we talked. There was more life in you, even if most of it was rattled anxiety. I know KiBum hasn't been beating the tar out of you, so that means something else is bothering you." 

SooHyun looked between HeeChul and KyuHyun, his ears drooping a little. "I... did what master wanted of me and now he won't even look at me."

"What did you do exactly?" KyuHyun raised an eyebrow. "He was doing a lot of looking at you back in that room." 

"Master asked me to do what it is I wanted to do, make my own choices," SooHyun said, his hands clasped tightly in front of him. "I told him I wanted to have sex with him but he said no. I don't understand why, because he said he liked me and that's what people that like each other do right? After we kissed, I thought he want that, because I wanted it. Somehow that was wrong."

"…Can you clarify that? You're acting like a painted statue because he didn't want to have sex with you?" KyuHyun blinked. 

"Master said he wouldn't have sex with me unless we were in a relationship as equals and I didn't think of him as master," SooHyun said. "But... we won't ever be equals, I will always be a slave and always think of him as my master... because that's just how it is. Isn't it?"

HeeChul snorted. "Damn, and I thought you were a tough nut to crack at first KyuHyun."

"I brought you down here to help me, not mock me," KyuHyun sniffed. "Yes, you're a slave and he's your master. Maybe if whatever they're doing pans out, it won't be this way in twenty years, but for now that's very true." He pulled over a chair to sit down once it looked like SooHyun wasn't going to bolt for the door. "But I can tell you right away that if I went around calling Zhou Mi 'master' all the time, I'm not all too sure I'd get much sex either. And sex isn't all that people who like each other do, unless you're HeeChul. Do you really like him?" 

"I do like him," SooHyun nodded, slowly crouching down to sit on the floor. "I liked him even before he was my master. When we first met, he tried to help me. I felt so... relieved when he bought me. I told master I would try and call him his name, and that sometimes I might mess up. But I was willing to try even if it feels so weird..."

"I heard some people like to be called master, especially during sex," HeeChul mused out loud.

"Okay never mind, bringing you was a bad idea," KyuHyun eyed HeeChul before looking back at SooHyun. "If you're willing to try, how many times have you used his name in the past week?" 

"... None," SooHyun admitted, looking down at his knees. "Ever since that day, he doesn't even talk to me."

KyuHyun exhaled slowly. He was a snake, he wasn't a counselor of any kind. "Okay, I'm thinking we're not getting the full story here, because what you've said so far doesn't make any sense when put together. He tells you he won't have sex with you unless you're in a relationship as equals, and then…just starts ignoring you?" 

SooHyun nodded, hugging his knees to his chest. "I figured, if he doesn't want to be in a relationship with me because I'm a slave, then I should be acting as I should."

"You mean how a slave should," HeeChul said, his eyes narrowed slightly. "So one minute you're telling him you'll start calling him by his name and then the next you're right back to calling him master?"

"I am a slave... he said so," SooHyun said. "We won't be in a relationship as equals because I'll never be anything more than a slave. I'll always be a slave."

"Yeah, you're a slave," KyuHyun replied. "So are HeeChul and I. But Zhou Mi's the one person I don't have to _feel_ like a slave with. When it's just us, I'm not his pet snake, I'm his boyfriend. I don't speak to him like I would to a master, I speak to him as a boyfriend. HeeChul, when you're alone with Geng, do you bow and scrape to him like you have to do in public or do you kick your feet up and order him to make you dinner?" 

"When I'm alone with Geng, he's the one that takes orders," HeeChul said with a chuckle. "And I'm sure that whatever ass of an owner you had before would have killed you for any wrong look, I don't think KiBum would mind running errands for you like Geng does for me."

"But I like being what I am... I like making KiBum happy by doing things for him," SooHyun said, his brow furrowed. "He said that was okay, as long as I did what I wanted."

"Doesn't seem like you're doing what you want, and it doesn't seem like he's happy either," HeeChul replied.

"He looked like someone killed his puppy and handed him the corpse," KyuHyun said dryly. "Here's what I'm thinking. If you hadn't realized by now, last time we met, KiBum and Zhou Mi were talking about you. Zhou Mi suggested to KiBum that he let you take things at your own pace. Then this happens and you take three steps back, KiBum doesn't understand why, and backs off. And now you're both visibly upset because he turned down sex with you. Sound logical?" 

"But why would he be upset?" SooHyun asked.

"Because he likes you and doesn't want you calling him master anymore," HeeChul said with a groan of frustration. "Good grief, are you sure you're not part donkey too? You have got to have the thickest head. He doesn't want to be your master, he wants to be with you in a relationship. I'm sorry KyuHyun, I'm sure that was some kind of self discoverey thing he was supposed to go on but he was never going to get there with his hand being held."

"But why didn't he just tell me that?" SooHyun shook his head.

"We're not KiBum, if you want the answer to that, you're going to have to do what I told you to do the first time we talked and _ask_ him," KyuHyun sighed. "But didn't he tell you that he wanted you to be in a relationship as equals? And not think of him as a master, did you say? Seems to me like he did tell you, only something got lost in translation because instead of talking about it, you both went off into your separate corners and ignored the whole problem." 

"I told him I'd try, but he-" SooHyun started but was cut off by HeeChul holding up a hand.

"Just... stop. Yes, you told him you'd try, but then you didn't," HeeChul said. "I don't know how it seems to work in your goat head, but if you like sex like I like sex, then nothing should be getting between you and sex. That includes getting over yourself and listen to what KiBum is telling you."

SooHyun's ears flattened and he looked down again. "Maybe... maybe you're right," he mumbled.

KyuHyun looked between them both, guessing that if that statement had been able to get through to SooHyun somehow, then he shouldn't say anything about it. "Good…we got something settled," he sighed. "Are you going to seriously talk with him about this, SooHyun? Because right now, you're just hurting each other." 

"Yes... I thought he didn't want me," SooHyun said, nodding a little. "I'll talk to him... I'll try, for him."

"Great, can we go now? This room stinks," HeeChul got to his feet, stretching out his arms.

"You're near the fighters' quarters, what do you expect," KyuHyun stood as well. "I'm sure KiBum's getting his own lecture up there, if we're lucky we might catch the tail end of it." Walking to the door, he pulled it open. 

SooHyun and HeeChul followed KyuHyun from the room and back up to the commissioner's office. It didn't seem like they were interrupting any conversation when they entered, Zhou Mi sitting next to KiBum on the couch and looking up when the door opened. Getting to his feet, Zhou Mi looked to KyuHyun first with a searching look.

It wasn't immediately apparent anything had changed, but instead of going back to the wall, SooHyun hesitantly walked over to where KiBum was sitting and sat down next to him.

KiBum looked up when he felt the couch dip under someone else's weight, and saw SooHyun sitting beside him. He looked at the goat hesitantly, slowly sitting up straight instead of slouching forward over his legs.

KyuHyun gave Zhou Mi a nod before going to drop down on the other couch with a groan. "And there goes almost all of my free time. Why did I even bother coming back up, should have just stayed down there." 

"Because you wanted to see me before you did," Zhou Mi said, pouting at him. "Everyone out," he said, making shooing motions with his hands. "Geng, HeeChul, I'll meet you in the viewing box. KiBum, you and SooHyun are welcome to stay and watch the matches with us but you're not obligated to do so."

"Uh…I think we'll just go, I'm not really fond of the matches," KiBum gave a strained smile, standing. "When can we meet to talk about that job again, Senator?"

"It's just Han Geng, or Geng," Han Geng chuckled. "Next week sound good?"

"Yeah," KiBum nodded, stepping back towards the door and looking to SooHyun. 

"Thank you for coming by KiBum, I'm sure we'll talk again soon," Zhou Mi said. He watched SooHyun get to his feet and follow after KiBum, opening the door for him. "Bye SooHyun, it was good to see you."

The goat looked between KiBum and Zhou Mi for a moment before he bowed to Zhou Mi. "Thank you sir," he said quietly.

KiBum waited for SooHyun to join him again before heading towards the exit, hands jammed into his pockets. "So…I was thinking, we could stop by the flower boutique on the way back to the dorms," he said after a moment. "Pick up something tasty." 

There was a small flicker of a reaction on SooHyun's expression, and he looked over at KiBum. "I... would like that," he said. "And then... we should talk when we get home."

Looking at SooHyun and meeting the goat's eyes, KiBum drew in a breath and nodded. "Yeah, we should," he agreed. There was a small spark of hope; the simple sentence had been more than SooHyun had said on his own without any prompting the past month.

It took almost an hour to get back to the dorms, stopping by the small seasonal boutique on the way there. They left with a full bouquet, KiBum handing the flowers off to SooHyun with a small smile.

Reaching their dorm room, KiBum unlocked the door and pulled it open, stepping inside. "Those should go in the vase we got, if you're not gonna eat them right away," he said, kicking off his shoes. 

SooHyun already had one flower in his mouth, one of the petals escaping as he quietly chewed. "Erm... okay," he said, scurrying to find the vase to put the flowers in. It didn't take long to find, and soon he had the flowers in water sitting on the table next to the window. They would only last a few days, but SooHyun was going to savor them as long as he could. "Thank you... KiBum," he said, touching one of the half open flowers.

About to sit on the edge of his bed, KiBum's eyes went straight to SooHyun at that. "…You're welcome," he replied, a real smile pulling on his lips. "You used my name." 

Taking a deep breath, SooHyun turned around to look at KiBum. Ears down, he shifted nervously. "I... said I would try. I haven't been doing like I said I would... but I want to try."

KiBum looked down for a moment at the floor, gathering his thoughts. When he looked back up, his smile had grown. "Thank you…it means a lot to me." He held out a hand to SooHyun. "We should probably talk." 

"Yes," SooHyun agreed. He looked at KiBum's hand for a long moment before finally taking it and stepping closer. "I don't think I understood what you were trying to tell me before, about relationships and being together."

The human's fingers curled around the goat's, securing the grip. "How did you understand it?" KiBum asked quietly, looking into SooHyun's eyes. 

"I thought... you didn't want me because I was a slave," SooHyun said, not able to meet KiBum's eyes. "And that was why you didn't want to have sex with me."

"I…no, that wasn't it," KiBum murmured. "It was because when I was kissing you, to me, I wasn't kissing a slave. I was kissing SooHyun, the silly goat, and you being a slave didn't matter to me. I like you either way. But it really hurt me that you could kiss me back and think of it as kissing your master, not KiBum…not _me_. I didn't want to have sex if there was a chance you'd call me 'master' during…because that would hurt even more." 

"You... are my master, that's not something I can change," SooHyun said, trying to organize his thoughts. "But... you are also KiBum, and I like KiBum. I didn't think of you as my master when I was kissing you."

"You didn't?" KiBum drew SooHyun closer. "What about right now?" he asked quietly, trying to catch the goat's eyes. 

SooHyun finally lifted his eyes to look at KiBum, though he was drawn more to KiBum's lips than anything. "KiBum... I want to kiss you," he whispered. "I really liked it."

KiBum bit his lower lip. Kissing had been what had gotten them in trouble the first time…but he felt lighter after talking it over finally. "Say my name again?" he murmured, leaning in slowly. 

"KiBum..." SooHyun replied, his arm going around KiBum's waist. He pulled KiBum closer, closing the distance between them into a kiss.

Eyes closing, KiBum returned the kiss and tilted his head to the side so their noses wouldn't be squashed. He let go of SooHyun's hand finally to wrap his arms around the older man. 

It started out slow, SooHyun ejoying the light ness of the kiss, enjoying how soft KiBum's lips were against his own. The longer it went on, the more SooHyun wanted and he pressed further, deepening the kiss as his lips parted and his other hand was sliding up and down KiBum's back.

KiBum responded with a low noise in the back of his throat, lips parting at SooHyun's insistence. One hand slowly ran through SooHyun's hair before twining into the soft strands.

Pulling back just enough to breathe, KiBum quickly returned to the kiss as his fingers found one furry ear. 

The ear flickered slightly at the touch, and SooHyun whimpered softly. Backing up, he sat down on the edge of the bed, breaking the kiss. He slowly drew KiBum down to sit in his lap, wanting to return to that kiss as quickly as possible.

KiBum had enough time to think about how good a kisser SooHyun was before the goat's lips were against his again. Making himself comfortable in the other man's lap, his fingers continued to play with SooHyun's ears, completely fascinated by them. "SooHyun," he breathed against the goat's mouth, trying to catch his breath as his legs tightened around SooHyun's waist. 

SooHyun's eyes slowly opened as he panted. "KiBum," he murmured, his hands having found their way under KiBum's shirt. "KiBum, I really like you."

"I really like you too," KiBum whispered, breath hitching in his throat at the warm hands against his stomach and sides. "Is this going where I think it is?" His hands moved down to play with the buttons at the front of SooHyun's shirt, itching to remove the material. 

"If... you want to?" SooHyun replied, giving KiBum another kiss. "I... want you, KiBum."

Smiling into the kiss, KiBum opened his eyes fully to look into SooHyun's. His fingers had already undone the top buttons to SooHyun's shirt, lightly brushing against the skin underneath. To be honest he wasn't thinking much just then, only how handsome SooHyun looked and how the sound of his name coming from the goat sent shivers down his spine.

"SooHyun," he whispered before deepening the kiss, eyes closing. Undoing all the buttons to the goat's shirt, KiBum pushed the material off the other man's shoulders. 

When his arms were free of the material, SooHyun returned his attention to KiBum's shirt, pushing up on it to pull it off his head. Hampered only by the fact that neither of them wanted to give up on the kiss, SooHyun pulled away with a frustrated groan as he finally got KiBum's shirt off. Returning to the kiss, his arms secured themselves around KiBum's back and he twisted them around to press KiBum back into the mattress.

Moaning lowly into the kiss, KiBum broke away again so he could push himself up onto the bed properly, pulling SooHyun up with him. His fingers worked to undo SooHyun's pants, popping open the button and pushing the pants off narrow hips. "I suppose I should mention I never had sex with a guy before," KiBum laughed a little breathlessly. 

"I have," SooHyun replied, his head dropping to scrape his teeth lightly against the skin of KiBum's neck. "Don't be nervous, it'll be okay."

"I'm not…nervous," KiBum exhaled shakily at the teeth against his neck. Getting SooHyun's pants off the best he could with his limited reach, he kicked them down to SooHyun's ankles before pulling the goat back up into a kiss. "I trust you." 

SooHyun managed to get his pants off the rest of the way, breaking away from the kiss and sitting back. "I trust you too, KiBum," he said, undoing KiBum's pants and tugging them off. Tossing them to the side, he dropped back down to kiss KiBum again. "It's okay like this?" he asked, sliding one of KiBum's legs over his shoulder.

Grinning at SooHyun's words, KiBum nodded, face flushed. "Yeah," he replied, hands cupping SooHyun's face before moving down to hold on to the goat's shoulders. 

One of SooHyun's ears twitched a little as he leaned down, capturing KiBum's lips in a searing kiss. It was slow going, SooHyun taking a great amount of care in how he touched KiBum. He wanted to make sure he went neither too fast or too slow, making sure KiBum was comfortable and feeling everything he was supposed to in the best way possible. SooHyun encouraged the noises he heard in response to his touch, to the way his hips moved. His lips brushed over KiBum's heated skin, teasing and tasing every inch. The feel of KiBum's fingers in his hair, nails on his back and the way his legs pressed against his sides in response. SooHyun enjoyed every second of it, because he knew KiBum was too.

Maybe it didn't last hours, but SooHyun felt like he'd run a marathon by the time he collapsed next to KiBum. Breathing in and out, his arms flopped to his sides and he looked at KiBum with a grin. "Can we do that again?"

Trying to catch his breath, KiBum laughed at that. He rolled himself closer, wincing slightly at the movement as he wrapped one arm around SooHyun's waist. "After some rest?" he chuckled, kissing SooHyun's shoulder absently. It was still the middle of the day, but he was too tired to even think of moving from the bed. 

"Okay," SooHyun smiled, getting himself comfortable, an arm going around KiBum's shoulders. "As long as we get to keep doing that. I'd like to do that with you as ofen as we can."

Flushing, KiBum hummed lowly in agreement. "You know…we can do other relationship things too, if you want to," he murmured. 

"What do you mean?" SooHyun asked, a look of confusion on his features. "What else is there to relationships?"

"…A lot of things," KiBum blinked. "I mean, couples hang out together, go on dates, travel, play games…" 

"Oh... I thought it was just sex," SooHyun said. "If you want to do those things, then we can. Long as you're happy."

"That…I want you to be happy too, SooHyun," KiBum said quietly, brow furrowed. "Only not serious relationships are only about the sex…but you're very important to me, I care about you a lot, and want to do all sorts of things with you…but only if you want to." 

"I've never done any of the things you just mentioned," SooHyun said, shaking his head. "I don't know if they'll make me happy. But I want to know if they would."

"We can try, then?" KiBum's smile was hopeful as he met SooHyun's eyes. 

"Yes, sir," SooHyun nodded, covering his mouth immediately after saying that. "Sorry... it's going to be a very hard habit to break. What if I call you by your name in public? You can get into trouble."

KiBum's eyes visibly dimmed again at the word, but he smiled sadly at the goat. "Don't worry about that. I'm more than capable of handling anything that happens, and it's up to me how my slave acts anyways. If I'm fine with it, no one else can say anything." 

"I just don't want you to get in any trouble because of me," SooHyun said, nuzzling his nose into KiBum's cheek. "I love the way you smell."

Blinking, KiBum chuckled quietly. "I'm all sweaty." He ran his hand slowly up and down SooHyun's back, closing his eyes. "You're an amazing man, SooHyun," he murmured. "I'm glad we met." 

"I'm glad we met too, I'll never be able to thank you for saving me from... that asshole," SooHyun said.

That made KiBum grin widely. "No way I was leaving you with him. With me at least, the worst you'll get is some grumpiness around exam season." 

SooHyun chuckled, nibbling a little at KiBum's neck. "I will do my best to relax you during exams."

KiBum made a low noise in his throat. "I don't know if that's relaxing…or just getting me worked up differently, but I won't say no," he murmured. 

"In the end, you'll be relaxed," SooHyun murmured softly against KiBum's skin.

"True," KiBum breathed, arms tightening around the older man as he made himself comfortable. He was going to fall asleep like this, and he didn't even care. Falling asleep next to SooHyun was sounding like the perfect end to the day, and every day afterwards. 

************************27

Tournament month was Zhou Mi's least favorite out of the whole year, and two weeks in he always felt like he wold rather jump off the blacony himself than watch another day of fighting. On days where Han Geng wasn't watching with him, he busied himself with paperwork and kept an eye on the monitors in case there was any trouble. He felt safer knowing KyuHyun was out of reach of most of the fighters. On the last match of the day, three days into the second tier, Zhou Mi finally called it quits and sat down to watch.

KyuHyun was perched on a pillar well out of harm's way, settled into a crouch as he called the shots. A dog and a tiger fought down below, the tiger taking big chunks out of the ground as he went and continuously making KyuHyun stabilize his perch before the whole pillar could come down. The dog was good, manipulating water and keeping his distance, but was tiring. There wouldn't be much longer to the match.

Frowning, KyuHyun knew the tiger could tell as well as he that his opponent wasn't going to make it much longer. There was a dangerous curl to the fighter's lips and with a loud roar the fighter stomped both feet into the ground. The dog was nearly launched into the sky, rolling himself off the unstable piece of ground.

The tiger hit the dog with a solid kick and the other fighter smacked into the elevated stone with a crack. When the dog hit the dirt and didn't get back up, KyuHyun called the match won by the tiger to loud cheers from the crowd.

"Thank you for watching another day of matches!" He spoke into the microphone. "We'll be back tomorrow with the last day of the second tier…" KyuHyun trailed off, realizing something was wrong. The tiger was crouching next to the dog down below, not exiting the ring.

Sliding down the pillar and landing on solid ground, KyuHyun jogged over. The tiger rolled the dog over, the other fighter's wide eyes stared up at the sky unseeingly.

Over the noise of the crowd that became louder the longer KyuHyun went without closing off his speech, the snake heard an anguished shout from the fighter's pit. He looked up to see DongHae vault over the edge of the pit only to be tackled down by security. The Lee dog screamed in despair, struggling to get up and straining to reach out to them.

"JinSang! Get up! _JinSang!_ " DongHae's screams choked off as sparks flew from his collar, and the fighter was subdued by security.

KyuHyun drew in a shaky breath before standing, stepping back to let the medical team put JinSang onto a stretcher and carry him out. "JinSang, a dog fighter from the Lee house, has just passed away," he said quietly into his microphone, the audience falling quiet. KyuHyun could hear DongHae's distant screaming again from beyond the gates leading to the fighters' quarters. "Please join me in offering condolences to the others of the Lee house affected by this. Thank you, and have a good night." He turned off his microphone and turned to head for the gate where security had taken DongHae.

Up above, Zhou Mi watched the monitors as the cleanup crew took care of the fallen fighter. It had been an accident, and the first death in the tournament thus far. Chewing on one of his fingernails, Zhou Mi got to his feet and slowly walked towards the balcony, leaning up against one of the pillars as he looked out over the crowd. Three years ago, the crowd would have been on their feet, crying out for more blood to be spilled. A death was something that was celebrated and encouraged. 

Now though, Zhou Mi could look out over the crowd and see the looks of despair at a fighter's life taken so easily. It was something Zhou Mi should be grateful for, and pleased about. But he couldn't bring himself to be happy about anything right at that moment. Nothing about it was worth being happy over.

One of his assistants slipped into the room, getting his attention. "Tell KyuHyun I want the fighter that ran out onto the field brought to me." The assistant bowed and disappeared out the door again.

By the time KyuHyun caught up with DongHae, the dog fighter had been locked up in his small room to cool down. Leaning against the door, the snake listened to the screams and crashes from inside, eyes lowered. There was no getting a word in edgewise right now.

Zhou Mi's assistant found him then, and KyuHyun nodded in understanding. He waited until the screaming had tapered off into sobs, and those had quietened somewhat before bringing a guard over to unlock the door again.

DongHae looked up at him from where he'd flipped the bed over, hands gripping his hair tightly and face drawn. "Come on, someone wants to see you," KyuHyun sighed softly, looking at the guard. After a bit of arguing he convinced the guard that he could handle DongHae himself; by then the dog had joined them at the door, tear tracks visible on his dirt-smudged face.

The walk to Zhou Mi's office was quiet, KyuHyun knocking on the door before pulling it open and ushering DongHae inside. The dog bowed stiffly. 

"Lock the door please, KuiXian," Zhou Mi said, watching the dog with sad eyes. "What's your name?" he asked, sitting down on one of the couches and patting the seat next to him.

DongHae, sir," the fighter replied, not moving from where he'd stood.

Locking the door, KyuHyun looked back at them. "Go sit down Hae, before you fall over," he said. The dog's eyes went from him to Zhou Mi and back again before DongHae walked to the couch slowly. His body was tense as he sat down. 

"It's nice to meet you, DongHae. I'm Zhou Mi, but I'm sure you knew that," Zhou Mi said. "I know this is a very bad time for you right now. The fighter, JinSang? He meant a lot to you. I'm very sorry about what happened, I wish there was something I could do. You have my deepest sympathies, DongHae."

KyuHyun leaned against the wall with his arms folded across his chest, watching DongHae's facial expression flicker between wariness, grief, and anger. "We're fighters, sir," the dog said lowly after a pause. "It…happens." 

"I know, and I wish... it didn't," Zhou Mi said, sighing softly. "I wish I could have done more to protect him, and I am sorry that I wasn't able to. Do you love him?"

DongHae's lower lip trembled slightly, another tear tracking through the dust and dirt. "…Yes." 

"If there was one thing you could do right now, anything at all, what would it be?" Zhou Mi asked, motioning to KyuHyun to bring him the box of tissues from his desk.

"I don't understand," DongHae said, eyes on the floor. KyuHyun went to the desk and picked up the box, handing one tissue to the dog and the box to Zhou Mi beside him. DongHae looked down at the tissue blankly. 

"I mean... if there was any request you had, I would grant it," Zhou Mi said. "Losing someone you love, is something no one should ever have to go through, especially in such a violent way. I want to change that so it doesn't happen again, but I feel I owe it to you and to JinSang to make it up to you in some way."

"Can't make it up," DongHae whispered, more tears falling as his shoulders shook. "Can't bring him back, ever." 

"No, I know," Zhou Mi said, sniffling a little himself. "If you ever need anything DongHae, please don't hesitate to ask."

Shuddering, DongHae's fingers clenched into fists around the tissue in his hands, tearing it. "If there was one thing I could do," he said lowly, looking up at Zhou Mi with haunted eyes. "I would show humans that JinSang deserved more. Show them they can't make us die down there." 

Zhou mi frowned slightly at that, leaning a bit closer. "Show them how?" he asked in a near whisper.

KyuHyun had to step closer to hear what was being said, frowning. "Show them…show them they can't control me," DongHae whispered, hands shaking. "They can't control us. We still have power…dead men have nothing to fear." 

Zhou Mi sat back at that, his expression guarded as he mulled over DongHae's words. "Maybe one day you can, DongHae. KyuHyun, if you could have a guard escort DongHae back downstairs? I believe his owner will be looking for him shortly."

Nodding, KyuHyun stepped forward. "Come on Hae," he sighed, waiting for the dog to stand before heading to the door and slipping out with the other Sign.

He returned after sending DongHae off back to the fighters' quarters, closing the door and locking it again behind him. "What do you think of all that?" 

"You know, I've had many meetings over the past couple of years about fighters being involved in relationships," Zhou Mi said, back at the balcony. "I've heard arguments for and against outlawing fighters from being involved with one another. But I'm a romantic at heart, as you know, and I can't stand the idea of telling tow people they aren't allowed to love. Especially two people who put their lives on the line every day."

KyuHyun slowly approached to join Zhou Mi at the balcony, stopping beside him and looking down at the ring where he had been not that long ago. "I'm not sure if it's crueler to outlaw love in the ring, or to let people go through what DongHae just did." 

"Keeping two people apart is a crueler thing by far," Zhou Mi replied. "Because as broken as DongHae is right now, at least he got the chance to love. So many fighters never get that opportunity, and that to me is a shame, a crime even. These men are laying down their lives and they never get to experience the single greatest emotion there is." He looked at KyuHyun with a sad smile. "That's why DongHae said what he did. That he wanted to show everyone he couldn't be controlled. Because he got to be in love, and it was taken from him in the worst way imaginable."

"Not much he can do though, is there," KyuHyun said quietly, meeting Zhou Mi's eyes. "At most, he could go on a rampage and be put down like a rabid animal, and that won't show anyone anything." 

"A rampage... no, that wouldn't be a good idea," Zhou Mi said, turning to lean his back fully against the pillar, arms crossed over his chest. "But what if it wasn't just him?"

"Wasn't just him?" KyuHyun's brow furrowed. "You mean other fighters? They still wouldn't get very far…unless you mean _all_ the fighters." 

"The problem we seem to run into, the same problem KiBum ran into with his club, is that most people don't care," Zhou Mi said, glancing towards the nearly empty stands. "They sit out there, watch Signs hit and kill each other. They've started to care that they're dying, only because you've given them names to go along with faces. But people still assume the fighters are happy with their lives. If every fighter in the tournament stood up, said enough, and walked out... people would have to stop and listen to them."

"You know how dangerous that could be though," KyuHyun pointed out. "Not all the fighters are mellow like DongHae, some are just plain trouble. And even those who aren't, if the police or security come after them, won't stand around peacefully. They'll fight back, and a lot of people could get hurt or killed." 

"It could take a while for police to get here, if there are hundreds of protestors blocking the streets," Zhou Mi said. "You've spent a lot of time with the fighters, would they follow you? Would they listen to you if you told them not to hurt civilians?"

"…To a point," KyuHyun said slowly, trying to follow Zhou Mi's train of thought. "I'd need help convincing some of the rowdier ones. There are some fighters down there that even those in rival houses respect enough to listen to if it came to it." 

"I'm thinking... we may need to change how security operates in the fighter's areas next year," Zhou Mi said. "Right now, the fighters are watched lik hawks. Houses are allowed to use their own security forces to keep their fighters in line. Next year, no private security. Only those loyal to me in fighter areas. And during your breaks, instead of seeing me, you'll spend time with the fighters. Listen to their concerns, talk to them."

"…Do I still get to spend _some_ breaks with you?" KyuHyun protested that, unhappy at his precious few breaks being taken away from him completely. 

Zhou Mi's expression softened and he chuckled at that. "Of course, KuiXian. But I don't think you're quite understanding... next year, things will change. I'm getting tired of pretending to be something I'm not. I'm tired of watching good people die and the heartbreak it leaves behind. I want this to end. Either way, next year, this is ending."

"Next year?" KyuHyun blinked. "You really think we can end this next year?" The snake straightened from where he'd been leaning against the balcony. 

"I do," Zhou Mi nodded. "Things are happening quickly KuiXian. Even some of the shareholders were discussing Sign rights at the last meeting. The idea of owning slaves has fallen out of favor among the highest in society. I don't think we've really stopped to look at what we have accomplished so far. A revolt at the games, Signs and humans together protesting for equal rights? The nail in the coffin that we need."

"…I told SooHyun we might be free in twenty years, maybe," KyuHyun looked a little dazed. "It's sooner, isn't it?" 

"It is," Zhou Mi nodded, pulling KyuHyun away from the balcony. "Are you still with me?"

"Of course," KyuHyun nodded, hands resting against Zhou Mi's hips. "What, you thought I was gonna ditch you after all this?" 

"I had to be sure," Zhou Mi said, breathing out a little in relief. He pulled KyuHyun closer, pressing their lips together in a slow kiss. "I'm asking so much of you, I wanted to make sure you didn't think you had to do anything."

"I can deal," KyuHyun murmured against Zhou Mi's lips, arms circling more securely around the older man's waist. "I'm just grumpy that our free time's gonna disappear." 

"Just look at it this way," Zhou Mi replied, pressing light kisses to KyuHyun's nose and cheeks. "Once it's done, we'll have all the free time we want, and we wouldn't have to be stuck at home if we wanted to go out and do something."

"And no collar?" KyuHyun inquired, lips curling into a smile. 

"Definitely no collar," Zhou Mi chuckled, dragging KyuHyun over to the couch to sit. "We'll have to talk to Geng again, he's going to be put out with me that I went ahead and changed our plans _again_."

"He can deal." KyuHyun knelt on the couch next to Zhou Mi, practically knocking the human onto his back before kissing him. 

Zhou Mi let out a very undignified squeak as he pushed backwards, his arms going around KyuHyun's waist. "You locked the door right?" he asked around the kiss.

"Of course I did," KyuHyun mumbled, biting Zhou Mi's lower lip. "I'm efficient. Fix your stick legs," The snake prodded at one knee that was jammed into his ribs. 

Groaning softly at the bite, Zhou Mi complied with the demand and shifted so they were better situated on the couch. Knees slightly bent, he pulled KyuHyun to straddle his hips. One hand settled at the snakes waist, the other slid up the back of his shirt to press down onto his back and pull him even closer to kiss him deeply.

Jerking when Zhou Mi's hand settled against the line of scales that ran down his spine, KyuHyun returned the deep kiss. His fingers dragged along the front of the human's shirt. Undoing the few buttons for Zhou Mi's collar, he broke the kiss to press his lips to Mi's exposed throat. 

Zhou Mi's head tilted back on the arm of the couch, humming in approval at the kisses. "KuiXian..." he breathed, the hand on KyuHyun's hip sliding into the back of his pants. "I love you."

A low chuckle escaped KyuHyun. "I love you too…still don't regret buying a snake? Could have had a cute, meek bunny." He nipped at Zhou Mi's neck lightly. 

"Never," Zhou Mi said, his eyes cracking open to look down at KyuHyun. "Why would I want a bunny, when I have a KuiXian?"

"Wouldn't have to deal with the shedding, for one," KyuHyun smirked, pulling back enough to look down at Zhou Mi and hands bracing himself over the other man. 

"But it still wouldn't be you," Zhou Mi said, smiling fondly up at him. "I fell in love with you, despite you being a snake, and because you're a snake. No one is as perfect for me as you are. Not even a cute, fluffy bunny."

A small grin appeared, the snake's sapphire eyes looking into Zhou Mi's. "I think we need a long vacation after this." KyuHyun brushed his thumb over the shadow under one eye. 

"Somewhere warm with lots of water and a beach," Zhou Mi nodded, leaning into the hand. "Nothing to worry about, and no tan lines."

"Just us," KyuHyun chuckled. "And a better handle on English this time." He leaned down to kiss Zhou Mi again, eyes closing. 

"Sounds perfect," Zhou Mi mumbled against KyuHyun's lips. The only caveat to these plans though, is that they had to succeed. Years of work had built up to this final year, and it was far too important now to give up, not when they were so close. There was still so much work to be done, and so many people they had to manuever into the positions they needed to be in. The logistics of it all made Zhou Mi's head hurt sometimes, but in the end it would be worth it. It will be worth it when Zhou Mi could remove KyuHyun's collar for the last time, and kiss his neck without that barrier between them.

***************************************

A week after meeting with Zhou Mi and Han Geng, KiBum began his summer job as Han Geng's assistant in the senate. It was only the first day, but he could tell he was going to learn a lot from this job. His tasks included taking detailed notes of everything that happened, and his writing hand was cramped and ink-smudged by the time they retired for the day. Maybe he should have learned how to write with both hands, to at least distribute the pain evenly.

At least he had SooHyun with him. Even if he couldn't always talk to the goat like he talked to Han Geng, the smiles he would send and get in return were enough for him until they could leave. He wondered why HeeChul wasn't with them, but when asked Han Geng just laughed sheepishly and said it would be akin to torture to make HeeChul sit still and listen to senators argue all day.

Gathering together all his notes and folders as they prepared to leave, KiBum looked up at Han Geng as the Chinese man stopped beside him. "It was a good first day, what do you think so far?" he smiled.

"I think I'll learn a lot here," KiBum chuckled, wincing and flexing his fingers.

"A shorthand too, from the looks of it," Han Geng smiled. "Oh, Zhou Mi forgot to offer his congratulations last week, I'm to pass them on."

"Congratulations? For?" KiBum blinked, straightening.

"For your brother's engagement, we heard about it some time after the pre-tournament."

"…Huh?" KiBum looked at him in utter confusion. "Why would… To who is he engaged to? Why?"

Realizing KiBum truly had no idea of HyungJoon's engagement, Han Geng answered the questions. "To Senator Kang's daughter, they haven't been engaged for very long yet."

KiBum looked across the hall to where said senator was talking with some others. "…That man?" Senator Kang was far from pleasant, from what he could tell.

"That would be him," Han Geng's smile hinted he knew what KiBum was thinking. "Well…congratulations either way."

"Yeah, uh…I guess, thanks," KiBum looked down at the table, picking up his armful of folders and pushing them into a briefcase. He hadn't spoken to HyungJoon since leaving home. "Ready to go, SooHyun?" 

"Yes, sir," SooHyun said, taking KiBum's briefcase for him and shuffling a little out of the way. The poor goat looked uncomfortable, his ears flat against his head and he trembled a little. It had been a very trying day for him, being around so many people he didn't know. There were a couple of other Signs in the halls, though none seemed to acknowledge SooHyun at all, not even another goat who was cleaning out trash cans.

"See you tomorrow KiBum, SooHyun," Han Geng smiled at them. KiBum was glad he was working with someone who also cared for Signs, and wouldn't bat an eye at him worrying over SooHyun.

Saying goodbye, KiBum lead the way out of the immense building. Once they were out on the street, he sighed in relief and looked back at SooHyun with a small smile. "Where to first, food or home?" 

"It looks like you need home first, I can make us something to eat," SooHyun said. "The apartment has a very nice kitchen, and I like cooking for you."

"Well, I'll never say no to your cooking," KiBum chuckled, dropping back a couple steps to walk beside SooHyun. "You're a great cook." 

"Thank you, no one's ever complimented my cooking before," SooHyun said, ducking his head to hide the blush. "Should we ask Kevin if he wants to eat with us? It doesn't seem like he eats enough."

"He really doesn't, guy's a twig," KiBum nodded. "We'll ask him. I'd offer to help, but well…" he chuckled sheepishly. Yes, he could do simple stuff. But he'd been banned from the kitchen by both Kevin and SooHyun when he sliced his hand open instead of the carrot he'd been aiming for. 

SooHyun hailed a taxi for them, opening the door when one stopped at the curb. "Do you think you'll like working for the Senator? It seems like a hard job."

"It does, and I might need a new hand when it's over," KiBum said as he climbed into the back of the taxi and scooted over so SooHyun could get in too. Giving the driver the address of the apartment he now shared with Kevin, KiBum rubbed his sore hand. "But I think I'll learn a lot more there than I will in class. Including apparently, my brother being engaged," he frowned down at his knees. 

"I'm not completely sure about human things, but isn't that the kind of thing family tells each other?" SooHyun asked, mirroring KiBum's frown.

"Yeah," KiBum nodded. "But my brother and I haven't really spoken since I left for university, guess he didn't think it was important to let me know. He's probably busy managing the house." 

"You talk about him a lot, how come you haven't spoken to him?" SooHyun asked. "Did you fight?"

"We always fight," KiBum tried to smirk, but the expression disappeared quickly. "I can't even remember what it was about now, probably something stupid. But we haven't been particularly close ever since Dad started getting sick. Guess we just grew apart." 

SooHyun's brow furrowed at that, and he looked out the window as he chewed on his lip in thought. "It's been almost four years since you saw him last? Is it because he runs a fighting house that you don't want to see him even now that it's summer?"

"Maybe…part of the reason," KiBum said quietly. "I just know that if I go back there I probably won't be able to keep my mouth shut on how _wrong_ it all is, and he doesn't need that on top of everything else." 

SooHyun's hand found KiBum's, holding on to it lightly. "Maybe he'd listen though... everything that you've told me about him, seems like he'd at least listen. He'd be happy you've been working so hard for something you believe in, wouldn't he?"

"That something I believe in, is something that wants to end everything he's spent the past four years and longer working on. That our family has done for generations." KiBum looked at SooHyun, eyes bleak. "No SooHyun, he'd hate me." 

SooHyun's ears flattened at that and his shoulders slumped. "That's why you don't want to see him, isn't it? You don't want him to hate you... maybe he won't? Maybe he'll listen to what you have to say and agree with you, stop owning slaves?"

"I'm just his kid brother…he's never been very good at listening to me," KiBum shook his head. "It's…I'm just about done school anyways. One more year…then I'll go back home. At least then if he hates me, I'll be able to get myself a job in the city out of his hair." 

"For what it's worth... I hope he does listen to you," SooHyun said softly, leaning his head onto KiBum's shoulder. "I know how important he is to you."

Smiling sadly, KiBum closed his eyes and rested his head against SooHyun's. "Whether he does or doesn't…will you stay beside me?" he whispered, fingers curling around SooHyun's. 

"Where else would I go?" SooHyun replied softly. "It's not like I can just move out, sir."

Twitching unhappily at the word 'sir', KiBum sighed and straightened. "I guess not…but you know if all this planning goes well, you won't always have that collar on," he murmured, looking out the window. "And you won't always be forced to stay with me." 

"No, but far as I see it, there isn't anywhere else out there for me anyway," SooHyun said. "As long as you don't mind keeping me around."

"No, as long as you actually want to be around," KiBum replied quietly. They pulled up outside the large apartment complex, KiBum paying the driver before getting out. 

SooHyun followed KiBum up to the building, opening the door for him. It wasn't until they were on the elevator, gate closed that he turned to KiBum with wide eyes. "Of course I want to be around, I don't want to be anywhere else but by your side. Do you think I would leave if given the choice? Because I wouldn't, I don't want to be anywhere but by your side."

"Promise me that?" KiBum asked, stepping closer to the goat. "That even if everyone else leaves me, you won't?" 

"I promise," SooHyun whispered, nearly launching himself at KiBum. Pressing the human up against the wall of the elevator, he smashed their lips together in a haphazard kiss. There was no way he would ever leave KiBum, not even if he was given his freedom.

Staggering as he hit the wall, KiBum returned the kiss, fingers twining around locks of SooHyun's hair and trying to get across how thankful he was for the goat. When the elevator stopped and the gate opened, he pulled back from the kiss, panting. "Come on, let's get somewhere we're not going to scar anyone for life," he whispered, pushing SooHyun's hair back out of his eyes. 

SooHyun nodded breathlessly, taking KiBum by the hand and nearly dragging him towards the apartment. The door was unlocked, which meant Kevin was home, but that didn't deter SooHyun. Soon as the door was closed, he had KiBum up against it to renew the kiss, arms winding around KiBum's slender waist, fingers pressing into the fabric of his shirt.

"Should I lock myself in my room?" Kevin was sitting on the couch nearby, bowl of rice in his hand and looking at the two with a raised eyebrow. "I don't mind if you want to do it up against the door, just give me about ten seconds to leave the room."

Squawking, KiBum flushed and managed to escape from between SooHyun and the door, taking the goat's hand. "No, sorry. Someone's a little impatient," he lightly flicked SooHyun's forehead. He never hit the goat, even teasingly. "How was your day?" 

"Boring," Kevin sighed, slumping a little more in his seat. "You got the coolest job in town you know that? I had to take a stupid internship with the parks department. How'd your first day go? Meet any important people?"

"Tons of them, not that any of them are gonna talk to a note-taker," KiBum chuckled, pulling SooHyun over to the sitting area. "And I'm sure my opinion of this job is going to go down after another week or so of arguments, I might want to switch with you." 

"No way, the _games commissioner_ himself got you that job," Kevin said, shaking his head. "No way are you backing out now. You're working with Senator Han Geng! He's like... the most important person in politics right now!"

"Should I get his autograph for you?" KiBum grinned, sitting down. "He might find that a little creepy, Kev." 

"What? I'm being serious!" Kevin huffed at him. "He's introduced so much legislation about Sign's rights, he's like... my _idol_. I don't know how you got in so good with the games commissioner but don't you dare screw up that opportunity or I'll kill you myself."

"I told you, I was in his Signs Relations class while he was a professor," KiBum said, amused. "Fine. I'll see if I can get you some sort of job in the senate too, if he knows of any other people who can use note-takers." 

"Really? You'd do that for me?" Kevin nearly tackled KiBum over, arms going around his neck. "Thank you, you're the bestest friend _ever_. Maybe then I'll know what it is you and the Senator talk about during all those meetings you've had with him and the commissioner."

Yelping as he nearly fell off the couch, KiBum laughed. "Yeah, yeah. You might get a chance to talk to them soon, I mean you _are_ the face of the student club now." He patted Kevin's shoulder. 

"That would be so cool... hey maybe we can get him to talk at one of our meetings," Kevin said. He looked up when he heard a cough, SooHyun shuffling anxiously from foot to foot nearby. "Oh, sorry," he said sheepishly, scooting back over to his seat.

Wrinkling his nose with a grin, KiBum sat up straight. "Han Geng? Maybe, I'll bring it up to him. He's been very interested in the club, so who knows. Why are you still standing SooHyun, come sit with us," he held out his hands to the goat. 

SooHyun made an anxious half bleating noise, but he took KiBum's hands. Sliding in behind KiBum, he nuzzled into his neck with his arms around KiBum's waist.

"You two are sickeningly cute," Kevin grinned, picking his bowl of rice back up. "Oh! A letter came for you KiBum, it's from Henry," he said, nodding towards the envelope on the coffee table.

"Oh?" KiBum's eyes lit up and he leaned forward to snatch the envelope up. He made himself comfortable against the couch and SooHyun, giving the goat a peck on the lips before tearing into the envelope and pulling out the letter. "Been a while since he wrote." 

"You should convince him to come visit," Kevin said, watching them. SooHyun was nibbling at KiBum's neck, though trying to act like he wasn't. "What's it say?"

"Visit, maybe…if he'd want to," KiBum trailed off, reading. "Aw, I'm actually missed. He's saying hi to you both too," he reached behind himself to lightly pinch SooHyun's side in retaliation for the nibbling. Reading the next part, he snorted and started to laugh. "Well he _finally_ asked Amber out. It only took the three years I knew him." 

"Amber was the rabbit right? That's a strange mix, rabbit and tiger," Kevin said. He glanced over at the clock and sighed. "Well, I have to get ready to go to the meeting, were you coming tonight?"

"Uh…yeah," KiBum blinked. "I'll show up a bit after it starts, have to sort out all the notes from today and get something to eat. We need to go over what we discussed, about the protests at the games." 

"Yeah, we're going to have to get everything planned out before we present it to the group," Kevin nodded. "I don't know if we'll get everyone from all the clubs, but I'm sure we'll get a lot. People might think it's too dangerous, so we'll have to make sure everyone is going to stay safe."

"Safe, for sure," KiBum replied, having a hard time focusing with SooHyun still attacking his neck. "It's just peaceful protests, we'll have to stress to everyone that. Maybe we should have a few protests outside the tournament season first, get people used to the idea before we propose protesting at the heart of the tournament." 

 

"That's a good idea, maybe we can start with some of the shadier breeding houses," Kevin nodded, getting to his feet. He dropped his bowl off in the kitchen, finding his bag and checking the contents. "Or the auctions. Whichever would get more exposure."

"Both would get us exposure, maybe bring it up and have members vote?" KiBum asked, watching him. "Are you okay with managing things?" He still felt guilty for having to dump the leadership role on Kevin, even if the younger man was a brilliant leader. 

"Of course, this is the most fun I've ever had," Kevin grinned over at him. "I feel like we're really making a difference, that makes me happy. I totally understand why you had to step back, if my brother was a major fighting house owner I would too. It's probably better this way too, since because of that, I don't know if people would have taken you as seriously..."

"Yeah…" KiBum frowned, shoulders slumping. He was aware that being the youngest son of a large fighting house hadn't worked in his favor as the club leader. It didn't lend him much credibility for wanting to help Signs. "You're doing an amazing job, I couldn't imagine a better leader for the club," he chucked. 

"I for one thought you did an amazing job," Kevin said, buttoning his bag back up and slinging it over his shoulder. "Even when it was just me you and Henry. To me, you're still the brains of the operation, but I'll gladly be your mouthpiece. Shoot, I have to get going. We can talk more at the meeting okay?" he said, already on his way out the door.

"You're hardly just a mouthpiece, Kev," KiBum smiled widely. "Yeah, I'll see you there, he waved as Kevin left. Once the door was closed, he shifted in SooHyun's lap to purse his lips at the goat. "That makes it _very_ hard to hold a conversation." 

"But you like it," SooHyun pointed out, his arms tightening around KiBum's waist.

"Never said I didn't," KiBum chuckled, turning around so he could straddle the goat's lap. "We've got about…half an hour or so." 

"That's not really enough time for you to eat," SooHyun said, nosing KiBum's collar and pressing light kisses to his shoulder.

"I'll eat when I get back," KiBum hummed, eyes half-closing at the attention. "Rather spend the time with you." He ran his hands along SooHyun's sides. 

"I won't argue, but you can spend time with me any time," SooHyun said, though his hands were sliding up the back of KiBum's shirt. "Maybe we should continue this conversation in the bedroom... Kevin might not appreciate us having sex on his couch."

"You mean like he didn't appreciate us making out against the front door?" KiBum chuckled. "I don't really want to get kicked out." He stood up, pulling SooHyun to his feet and walking backwards to their bedroom. 

"I'll try to be better about that," SooHyun said, following KiBum into the bedroom. "But I just can't help it when I'm with you... I kind of forget other people are around."

"I don't mind that, considering you're a bundle of nerves the rest of the time," KiBum chuckled. Stepping into the bedroom, he kicked the door shut after them before pulling SooHyun to the bed. "It's just Kevin, you don't have to be so worried." 

SooHyun pouted a little, playing with the hem on KiBum's shirt. "I don't know people like I know you," he said, his brow furrowing. "Other people were allowed to use me.. do anything they wanted to me. It's habit for me to think that's what they want."

KiBum's eyes saddened, reaching up to brush locks of hair out of the goat's eyes. "You know Kev's not like that," he said softly. "He wouldn't be one of my best friends otherwise. And if anyone dares to touch you without your permission, I'll kick their ass, and you have full permission to kick their ass too." 

"I know he's not, I know he's your friend, and he's nice to me," SooHyun said, closing his eyes and taking a slow breath. When he opened his eyes again, he smirked a little as he pushed KiBum gently onto the bed, crawling on with him. "Only one allowed to touch, is you," he said, head dropping to kiss the sliver of skin showing where KiBum's shirt and ridden up.

Whatever KiBum had been about to say turned into a low whine. "Have I told you before how much I like seeing you confident like this," he uttered, fingers smoothing through SooHyun's hair and playing with his ears. 

"You... make me confident," SooHyun said, nudging KiBum's shirt up a little with his nose. He scraped his teeth lightly over KiBum's belly, looking up at him with a smile.

KiBum made a choking noise. "No teasing," he half-whined, squirming a little. 

"Right, only a half hour," SooHyun hummed, dropping a kiss just below KiBum's rib before he sat back. Pulling his shirt off and dropping it to the side, he helped KiBum divest himself of his clothes, fingers roaming over his skin. "I like touching you, how is that teasing?"

"Because I can't do anything back, you've got me pinned to the bed and you're not exactly easy to move," KiBum huffed, face flushed as he kicked their clothes off the bed. "If we had more than half an hour, I'd show you exactly how that's teasing." 

"Maybe when we get back?" SooHyun said, grinning down at him. "Until then, I'll just tease you some more."

"…But that's just not _fair_ ," KiBum protested, bucking in a rather useless attempt to get SooHyun off him. 

"I don't see how it's unfair," SooHyun said, shifting his bodyweight. Using one hand, he held KiBum's wrists above his head, his other arm hooking under one of his knees as he leaned down to brush his lips over KiBum's again. "Keep squirming and I won't be able to do more than tease."

Grumbling half-heartedly, KiBum returned the kiss. As much as he squawked, he really enjoyed this confident side to SooHyun that was comfortable pursuing what he wanted. It hadn't really appeared outside of the bedroom yet, but KiBum could wait.

That didn't mean he wasn't getting SooHyun back for this later tonight. 

**************************28

It seemed like the time between tournaments was growing shorter and shorter every year. Zhou Mi could barely turn around before a new season was upon them. Months of planning and organizing the tournaments was sometimes more than Zhou Mi wanted to deal with on any given day. Add on top of that planning a revolution and most days when he went home he collapsed in bed with barely a word to KyuHyun.

Even though they had taken a vacation over the summer, it still felt like their relationship had grown strained over the weeks leading up to the new tournament season. Zhou Mi was lucky if they could have dinner together more than a night a week, let alone time together. Despite what they had told each other, knowing it would be worth it in the end, didn't mean it didn't hurt. Most weeks, Zhou Mi saw more of Han Geng than he did of KyuHyun, a fact brought up by the snake on more than one occassion. 

With the start of the games though, at least Zhou Mi got a few hours in the morning as they planned out the day and the matches. Zhou Mi always consulted with KyuHyun on the first day, wanting to make sure everything ran smoothly.

"I was looking over the roster," Zhou Mi said, hunched over his desk and reading over a file. "This is the first time in decades every Sign is being represented. You remember that rabbit we met at the party last year? HyungJoon's personal slave? He's been entered."

"…Huh?" KyuHyun leaned over Zhou Mi's shoulder, not believing that for a second. Until he saw the name listed under the Kim house, and the stamped rabbit symbol beside it. "Well, that's not something you see everyday… _why_ would he toss his rabbit in here, rabbits aren't fighters." 

"I'm not sure," Zhou Mi frowned. "I'd heard they were having troubles, but that seems very unlike HyungJoon. KiBum has said how close his brother is to his rabbit... poke around a bit when you go downstairs. See what's really happening there."

"Yes sir," KyuHyun sighed, adding that to the other things he had to do while in the fighters' quarters. Absently looking over the rest of the Kim's fighters, he blinked. "Hey…HyunJoong's here. The Kim house bought him?" He remembered the tiger who had been mauled when the Jung dragon rampaged two years ago. 

"Who?" Zhou Mi looked over his shoulder at KyuHyun. "That name is familiar... Why is that name familiar?"

"That's the name of the tiger from two years ago," KyuHyun said, straightening. "Remember? You spoke to his owner to keep him from being put down after that Jung dragon did a number on him." 

"Oh... right," Zhou Mi hummed, leaning back in his chair. "And he's now in the Kim house? HyungJoon has a good eye for fighters, he must see the potential then. Good, I'm glad the tiger is back in the ring."

"...And hopefully not getting mauled again anytime soon. I see a dragon stamp on the Jung's list," KyuHyun pointed at the paper. "That's _never_ a good sign." 

"Usually, no it wouldn't be," Zhou Mi said, lips quirking a little. "Except the Jung house list was filed under YunHo's name, not his father's. I think this year is going to be more interesting than we realized KuiXian... I'm a little anxious to see what happens."

"Do we really need it to be _more_ interesting?" KyuHyun folded his arms across his chest, eyes tightened. "Too much more interesting and it'll just be chaos instead." 

Turning his chair slightly, Zhou Mi looked up at KyuHyun. "And that's where you will come in, to make sure it doesn't blow up in our faces."

"No pressure," KyuHyun said drily, turning to go to the balcony window and look out over the ring below. It was a muggy, humid day, the snake's clothing sticking to him and he'd had to take extra medication the night before to sleep properly. 

Getting to his feet, Zhou Mi followed him to the balcony. It was early still, the stands mostly empty. "KuiXian... if you're having second thoughts, please tell me," he said softly, touching a hand to the snake's back lightly.

"I'm not backing down," KyuHyun looked over his shoulder at the older man. "Not now. It's just nerves." 

"I wish I could do more to help you calm down," Zhou Mi said softly. "You want me to lock the door, keep everyone out for another hour or so?"

The corners of KyuHyun's lips quirked. "That sounds perfect…except if you want me to talk to the fighters before matches start, I'll have to leave soon." He turned around to face Zhou Mi, looking up at his boyfriend. 

Zhou Mi's mouth curled down into a pout at that. "The pretournament is only a week, and then we'll have a month break. A month where we have very little to do except stay home. I'm looking forward to that and trying to keep that in mind these next few days. I am sorry KuiXian, that we've been so busy lately... I'll make it up to you."

KyuHyun sighed. "One week…I can last that long." He reached up and curled his fingers into Zhou Mi's collar, pulling the human into a deep kiss. "This is worth it," he mumbled. "It's just a pain in the ass." 

"I know," Zhou Mi replied against his mouth, arm sliding around his waist to pull him closer. "You sure you don't want me to lock the door? I think we can spare ten minutes."

The snake hissed lowly, thinking about that. It didn't take very long for him to make up his mind. "Okay, ten minutes." KyuHyun deepened the kiss. 

Ten minutes turned out to be closer to twenty, but neither of them seemed to mind Somehow Zhou Mi had got the door locked before all but tackling KyuHyun onto the couch. It wasn't enough for either of them really, but Zhou Mi felt rather content. Knees pressed into the cushions as he straddled KyuHyun's waist, he hummed in appreciation as he nuzzled against KyuHyun's neck. "At least you won't be so distracted out there," he said when he'd pulled back, buttoning KyuHyun's pants back up.

Completely out of breath, KyuHyun chuckled, smoothing out Zhou Mi's clothes and pulling the other man's pants back up. "I don't know about that. I guess…I'll only be seeing you again when it's time to leave, huh." 

"Most likely," Zhou Mi sighed, sliding off of KyuHyun's lap to finish putting his clothes back together. "We'll do something tonight, just the two of us."

Standing and fixing his shirt and collar, KyuHyun waited for Zhou Mi to finish before pulling him into a kiss. "Looking forward to it. Don't forget to eat lunch again." 

"I won't, Geng will be here and you know he'll make me eat," Zhou Mi chuckled. "Now go, before I keep you here the next couple of hours before the games start."

"That sounds too tempting," KyuHyun smirked, kissing him again before pulling back. "See you later," he headed to the door, coughing as he left.

It went completely unnoticed that while they'd been distracted, KyuHyun's inhaler had fallen out of his pants pocket and became half-jammed in the corner of the couch. Which wouldn't have been a problem on a normal day, as he rarely had attacks anymore. But the snake had been having difficulty breathing for a couple days as the humidity worsened.

It was an hour before the tournament was set to begin when there was a knock on the door, one of Zhou Mi's assistants stepping in. "Commissioner, one of the guards from the fighters' quarters is here." 

Looking up, Zhou Mi blinked a little and motioned for them to be brought in. The assistant stepped out of the way, letting the guard in. "Is there a problem?" Zhou Mi asked, closing the file he'd been working on.

"Sorry to bother you sir, but KyuHyun is asking for you," the guard said. "He had some kind of attack, was saying something about his medicine?"

Eyes widening, Zhou Mi jumped up to his feet and started going through his desk drawers. Ever mindful of KyuHyun's condition, Zhou Mi made sure to keep an extra inhaler in his office. Why KyuHyun didn't have his on him at the moment was a mere afterthought when he finally found it and followed the guard out. "Where is he?" Zhou Mi asked the guard who was trying to keep up as they descended the stairs.

"With a couple fighters," the guard replied. When they entered the hallways the fighters occupied for the tournament, he brought Zhou Mi to a room at the end of a corridor. A monkey was standing outside, out of the way.

Inside, two dogs were hovering around KyuHyun, who was sitting on the bed with his elbows against his knees as he struggled to breathe. DongHae looked up from where he was rubbing the snake's back, scrambling out of the way. 

"If you could leave us, please," Zhou Mi said bruskly, sitting down next to KyuHyun. "Actually, wait, DongHae, right? You stay," he said, putting KyuHyun's inhaler in the snake's hand and helping him lift it to his mouth.

The second dog left the room, DongHae standing up against the wall out of the way. KyuHyun took the medication and started coughing, gasping for breath.

It took a few minutes for his airways to clear enough for him to sit up a little straighter. "Thanks," he wheezed, closing his eyes. 

"Don't try to talk, just focus on breathing," Zhou Mi said softly, rubbing his hand lightly up and down KyuHyun's back. His attention turned to DongHae though, expression set. "Now you know something that very few others do. We can trust you right?"

The dog was looking between them both, brow furrowed. After a pause he smiled and mimed zipping his lips, before nudging the door to the room closed with his foot. "Is he…going to be okay?" 

"Yes, he'll be okay," Zhou Mi nodded. "I should probably take him to the hospital tonight, but I know he won't let me. What was he doing when the attack started?"

"He was uh…talking to HyukJae, SungMin and me," DongHae said, an evasive tone to his voice. "He was getting a little worked up and was looking for his medicine, said he must have dropped it." KyuHyun had dropped his head onto Zhou Mi's shoulder, eyes closed and breathing heavily. 

"Oh, KuiXian, so passionate," Zhou Mi chuckled softly. "It's okay DongHae, I know what it was he was talking about."

"…Of course, sir," DongHae said, obviously not believing Zhou Mi or thinking the commissioner was referring to something else entirely.

"He's not kidding," KyuHyun rasped, coughing. 

"No, I'm not kidding, and I told you not to talk," Zhou Mi said, chiding KyuHyun. "I know because I told him to do it DongHae. This is a secret only six people in the world know, and right now I'm trusting you with this. KyuHyun can't keep up at the pace he's been going, it's too much for him with his illness. We need your help."

"…Why would you need my help?" DongHae asked slowly once that had sunk in, the dog fighter obviously putting pieces together in his mind as he thought about the conversation the three fighters had just had with KyuHyun. 

"I know full well that there are fighters who don't trust KyuHyun, simply because he's my personal slave," Zhou Mi said, frowning at having to say that. "It's not something we can keep secret from Signs, about our relationship. We need someone else, who can talk to the fighters when KyuHyun can't, that they won't suspect is being used by a human. What did KyuHyun tell you of the plan?"

DongHae chewed on his lower lip, one dog ear flicking up and down. "That if all the fighters revolt at the same time, we can make our point that we can't be controlled," he said, voice lowering. "But that's suicidal, not even half of the fighters would be willing to follow when it's so obvious we'll all just be killed off right after." 

"There are other things in the works, to make sure that won't happen," Zhou Mi said. "There's a law being drawn up in senate about giving Signs equal rights and becoming a protected class. It will still take a bit of time to get it through, but it will go through. I have worked too hard and too long for this to let it fail now. How many fighters would you trust here? Would you trust enough to organize the revolt but ensure no one is killed or seriously injured?"

"…I trust two," DongHae nodded towards the closed door, where the other dog and monkey were surely still out in the hallway. "How do I know you're telling the truth?" he asked lowly, eyes on Zhou Mi. "That if we do this, we won't just be put down like rampaging animals? Or that tournament rules will get worse?" 

"I have no way of convincing you that I'm telling the truth," Zhou Mi said honestly, shaking his head. "But if you trust KyuHyun and believe in him, then you can believe in me as well. KyuHyun is more to me than a bedwarmer or a personal slave... we've been in a relationship for close to six years now and very much in love. Part of me is doing all of this for him, so that one day I can tell the whole world how much I love him."

DongHae looked between them both, noting the small smile on KyuHyun's face at that. The dog thought about that for a long minute, shifting from foot to foot slightly and looking down at the floor. KyuHyun opened his eyes to watch.

"All right," DongHae said finally. "I can't vouch for every fighter agreeing to not kill anyone, if I'm getting them riled up enough for a revolt, but I'll try." 

"Start with those you trust, and then go from there," Zhou Mi said. "There may be others you think would listen, that won't use a revolt as an excuse to hurt humans. The point isn't to get free, but to show humans that Signs are more than animals, and deserve rights and protection. I want Signs to be free, and to be able to do whatever it is they want to do. This is the best way to start, to show humans what Signs are capable of doing without being controlled."

DongHae's lips pursed slightly. "Okay," he nodded. "When is this revolt supposed to happen? How much time do I have?" 

"Last day of the tournament, before the final match," Zhou Mi said. "That should give you enough time to talk to as many as you can."

The dog nodded. A loud horn blew through the fighters' quarters, the door rattling slightly. "That's the half-hour warning."

"Oh, fun," KyuHyun sat up straight. 

"Are you sure you're up for today KuiXian?" Zhou Mi frowned, keeping an arm around his waist. "It's going to be a very long day for you."

"I'll be fine, can't be missing on the first day," KyuHyun nodded, looking down at the inhaler. "Can I hold onto this? I _thought_ I had mine, it was in my pocket this morning…" 

"... I'll check the couch," Zhou Mi murmured, lips quirking slightly. "Okay, I'll get going then. Need to give my opening speech... It's definitely going to have people talking."

"Oh, yeah," KyuHyun grinned. "Can't miss the reactions to that."

"The opening speech?" DongHae blinked.

"Mi's got something planned specially for this year. I'll see you tonight?" KyuHyun looked at Zhou Mi beside him. 

"Yes you will," Zhou Mi smiled, pressing a light kiss to KyuHyun's lips as he stood up. "Good luck to you in your matches Donghae. I'll be keeping an eye on them."

"Thank you sir," DongHae bowed politely, opening the door for Zhou Mi. The monkey lodging beside the door snapped to attention and bowed, the dog waiting with him doing the same. 

Zhou Mi nodded politely to the fighters, making a note to ask KyuHyun what the names of the other two fighters were later. There was a lot riding on a few fighters to help achieve their goal, but this was a part of the plan that Zhou Mi couldn't have a hand in. If anyone knew, his career would be over. All the progress they had made would be for nought and he didn't even want to imagine what would happen to KyuHyun. That was what worried Zhou Mi the most. He could handle what would happen to him, but KyuHyun didn't deserve that. The snake had been through enough already.

Back up in his office, Zhou Mi spent what little time he had left organizing his thoughts and his papers on his desk. The loud blaring music pumped through the colosseum's speakers tapered off and Zhou Mi took a deep breath, stepping out onto the balcony. Lifting the microphone up, he held out his hands for quiet.

"Good morning spectators," Zhou Mi said, a bright smile on the man's face. "Welcome to the start of another suspenseful and surely to be entertaining tournament season!" The arena erupted in cheers, and he held his hand up for quiet again. "We start this season as we have done for generations, with the history of the tournament, to remember why we are here, and why this is not just about entertainment, but prestige and honor."

***********************************29

"Welcome back for our exciting conclusion to the Decerto pre-tournament! We're down to our final four fighters, and if the competition was intense before, it's really heating up now! We have three houses in the finals, all vying for that prize at the end of the day, but only one fighter can come out on top!"

KyuHyun smirked slightly as the crowd cheered. While he still wasn't the best commentator ever (a fact he would forever blame on snakes not being people-signs), the audience was especially receptive to his efforts this year. Three years ago, they had ignored him, but now they responded to his questions and interacted with both him and whatever fighter happened to win the match.

It was the last day of the pre-tournament, and things were heating up not only inside the colosseum, but outside it as well. The number of student protestors had grown by the day, especially as school finished for the various universities. Their chanting was audible from Zhou Mi's office. So far there had been no sign of KiBum, but Han Geng had informed them the younger Kim was keeping his distance to avoid being spotted by his brother. Not that HyungJoon would be paying attention to anything other than the matches right now. Two of his fighters were in the final four.

KyuHyun jumped up onto the ring, bowing deeply towards Zhou Mi up in his box before continuing. "Introducing our final four! From the Jung house, JungMin the dragon! From the Lee house, DongHae the dog! And from the Kim house, HyunJoong the tiger and KyuJong the rabbit!" The cheering from the crowd increased with each name.

"And now without further ado, let's begin the Decerto pre-tournament semi-finals! And our first two fighters for the day..." KyuHyun pulled out an envelope from his pocket, tearing it open and pulling out the slip of paper from inside. "...KyuJong and DongHae!"

The gates at opposite ends of the ring opened slowly. KyuHyun watched the two fighters named appear, KyuJong looking considerably less nervous than he had that first day. To be honest, KyuHyun was surprised the other man hadn't gone full bunny in fright yet, let alone make it past experienced fighters all the way to the semi-finals. DongHae leapt up on the other side of the ring, his easy-going appearance deceiving; the dog was a good fighter.

"Are both fighters ready? Begin!" KyuHyun leapt back out of the way as DongHae closed the distance between him and KyuJong. The rabbit was surprisingly skilled, or at least skilled at getting his opponents so turned around they'd fall right off the ring from dizziness. But DongHae wasn't having any of that, halting KyuJong's attempts to retreat and herding the rabbit towards the edge of the ring.

"And we have our first hit!" KyuHyun announced as KyuJong managed to make it back to the center. Blood stained the rabbit's side. DongHae didn't give KyuJong much reprieve, attacking again.

Then vines erupted from the center of the ring, nearly startling KyuHyun off the edge of the ring himself when the stone cracked by his feet. DongHae was seized by one ankle and tossed right off the ring with a yelp.

"And that's that! The Kim rabbit moves on to the final round!" KyuHyun announced to loud cheers and catcalls. 

Up in his viewing box, Zhou Mi's lips curled slightly at hearing that. The final match was going to be very interesting now, though he doubted KyuJong would be able to beat whoever won the match between the Jung dragon and the Kim tiger. Two more matches to go and then they would have a break, something Zhou Mi was looking forward to more than anything. His attention was diverted when he heard the door opening behind him and he looked over his shoulder. "You came at a good time," he said, motioning for the two who came in to take a seat. "Can you believe how far this rabbit has gone?"

"I'm still in shock he made it through the first round," Han Geng chuckled, closing the door after them and going to sit with HeeChul on the couch. "I wonder if this means more people will be taking a second look at the stereotype of rabbits being only good as bedwarmers." He watched KyuJong hurry out of the arena, one hand against a bloody cheek. "There's just one match left?" 

"One before the final yes," Zhou Mi nodded. "The Jung dragon and Kim tiger are next. It's the match I think everyone has been waiting for. The biggest two rival houses and rival Signs. Plus, they've both proven to be impressive fighters in all their matches."

"They have, the tiger's looking much better than the last time we saw him," Han Geng smiled. "And the dragon hasn't shown any sign of rampaging yet, so I guess getting Master Jung out of the arena was a good idea after all." 

"The Jung house fighters have done better this year than they have ever done," Zhou Mi nodded. "Master Jung handing over control to YunHo has been the best thing for the tournaments and my sanity."

"And with the amount of matches the Kim house has won, I don't think they'll be having any trouble again anytime soon," Han Geng chuckled, looking up. KyuHyun had reappeared after a short reprieve, the ring patched up after KyuJong's plant had broken it in half.

"What an intense opening to our semi-finals! Our workers have the ring back in top shape for the next match, who wants to see the two remaining fighters of our final four? Let's hear it for our remaining fighters! From the Jung house, JungMin the dragon!"

The gates were open again; the dragon forwent walking out in favor of flying to his end of the ring. JungMin was a new face to the tournament, but for a green dragon, he'd done unexpectedly well. From how he lifted his chin as he landed, he knew it too.

"And his opponent, from the Kim house, HyunJoong the tiger!"

HyunJoong's approach was less showy than JungMin's, but his shoulders held the same confidence. This was no green tiger; HyunJoong had been a top contender before the mauling two years ago, and if his performance in the arena this week was any indication, he hadn't lost any of that skill.

"Are both fighters ready?" KyuHyun called, the crowd's roar nearly drowning him out. "And _begin_ " He backpedaled to get out of the way.

"Come on scales for brains, let's see what you're really made of, or if you're just all mouth," HyunJoong called down the ring.

"Look who's talking furball!" JungMin countered before darting forward, closing the space between them quickly.

KyuHyun did his best to keep up with the fight, giving commentary where he could. These two were in it to win. JungMin was slammed onto his back and wings with a shout of pain, before smashing one heel against HyunJoong's chin to get the tiger off him. The bantering back and forth continued into the fight, and was far from friendly. Apparently, killing the opponent wasn't entirely out of the question either. Fire burned brightly, embers flying all over the ring.

"Can't even fight me without resorting to cheap tricks, you're a disgrace dragon!"

"Would you look at that, a circus clown with a superiority complex!"

And then suddenly both fighters were out of the ring; HyunJoong had tackled JungMin, without realizing how close the dragon was to the edge of the platform. Running over, KyuHyun leapt off the platform just as the tiger punched the dragon in the jaw; a violation of the rules. The dragon snarled and returned the hit with one of his own.

"Time! The match is over!" KyuHyun yelled. Neither of them were paying any attention to him, so he stamped one foot into the ground. A stone spike jutted out of the ground and effectively separated the two fighters, dragon and tiger rolling down opposite sides of the spike as KyuHyun turned it into a solid wall. The tiger was ready to round on KyuHyun for that, before security appeared to get the fighters off the field.

Watching them go, KyuHyun hopped back onto the platform. "Well, that was exciting! For the outcome of that match, we are waiting for a decision by the judges." He looked up at the commissioner's box. 

"If only the dragon hadn't hit him back," Zhou Mi frowned, shaking his head. "Rules are rules though," he said, getting to his feet and striding over to the edge of the balcony. "Your attention please!" Zhou Mi raised his hands, waiting for the noise of the crowd to die down before speaking again. "Due to the actions of the Kim tiger and Jung dragon once the match was over, it has been decided that the match was a draw, and as such, the Kim rabbit has been declared the winner by default. Congratulations, KyuJong! The first rabbit to ever win the pre-tournament!"

The crowd was near deafening, KyuHyun wincing and resisting covering his ears. The first rabbit entered into the tournament in decades, and he _won_. By default, yes, but it was still a win. They would be talking about this for a long time.

Workers were hauling a very confused KyuJong back out onto the field, the rabbit making his way back to the center where the referee was waiting.

"A round of applause for the Kim house and their rabbit fighter!" KyuHyun called over the din.

"…Wow." Han Geng blinked. "Did that really just happen?" 

"Yes, it did, and it couldn't have come at a better time," Zhou Mi said, sitting down at his desk. "Attendance for the tournament is going to be through the roof, everyone is going to want a piece of that rabbit."

"I still want to know why HyungJoon would send his personal slave out to fight, but oh well." Han Geng watched KyuHyun lead KyuJong off the field. "They'll be up here soon, the press is going to be horrible." 

"Yes, you should probably..." Zhou Mi looked towards the door as it slammed open, Master Jung walking in with one of Zhou Mi's assistants trailing after him.

"I'm sorry sir he wouldn't," Zhou Mi's assistant started to say, but Zhou Mi waved her off.

"It's alright, close the door please," Zhou Mi said, lips thinning at being so rudely interrupted. He could see HeeChul out of the corner of his eye slinking down in his seat. "What can I do for you that warranted breaking down my door?"

"You are an absolute disgrace," Master Jung sneered. "You would let a _rabbit_ win by default? No one wins by default, not in the tournaments!"

"I beg to differ," Zhou Mi replied coolly. "The rules are quite clear. Any fighter engaging in fighting outside of the ring after the match is called are disqualified. Therefore the dragon and the tiger were disqualified."

Standing after the sudden entrance, Han Geng stepped forward, placing himself between Master Jung and HeeChul. "Master Jung, both fighters were fully aware of the rules; if no punches had been thrown outside the ring, they wouldn't have been disqualified. The audience doesn't seem to have your displeasure at the Kim rabbit winning, he fought as hard as any other sign." It was still hard to hear over the din outside. 

"Then redo the match!" Master Jung roared, brushing past Han Geng to walk closer to Zhou Mi's desk. "I've been in the fighting industry for longer than you've been alive and when I say a fighter can't win by default then they can't win by default!"

"I will remind you that _I_ am the games commissioner, and not you," Zhou Mi said, getting to his feet. He had a few inches on Master Jung and used every bit of that height to his advantage. "How dare you come into this office and question my decisions. I do not answer to you. I answer to the shareholders and the general public."

"Right, the shareholders," Master Jung smirked at that. "I'm sure they'll be interested in my opinion on the matter."

"Doubt it," HeeChul muttered, seeming to forget where he was. Eyes widening, Master Jung whirled around, eyes settling on the rooster.

" _Excuse_ me? What did you say to me slave?" Master Jung hissed.

"Do not speak to him," Han Geng snapped, accent disappearing as he stepped up in front of the older man. "And he is absolutely right. You're no longer a house owner, Master Jung, and I do not see your son up here causing a fuss about his fighter being disqualified _as per the rules_. I feel that the safety of the commissioner and my slave is being threatened. Please see yourself out, or security will escort you off premises." 

Master Jung's eyes went from Han Geng to Zhou Mi, scowling at the two. "So I see that little rumor is true then. Damn Chinese pansies are taking over. You can be sure I'll be talking to the shareholders Zhou Mi, I'm sure they'll want to know what sick things you two are doing up here."

"Leave Master Jung, and next time you wish to speak to me, make an appointment," Zhou Mi said tersely. 

"Right," Master Jung snorted. He gave Han Geng a once over before turning and leaving, the door slamming against the wall in his wake. Zhou Mi felt like the air rushed out of him as he slumped into his chair and breathed a sigh of relief.

Han Geng remained standing, narrowed eyes on the door for a long moment. Exhaling slowly, he turned back to Zhou Mi and forced a smile. "That was going to happen sooner or later. Though a little more warning would have been nice." 

"And I'm sure he'll be back over something else I did wrong," Zhou Mi said, rubbing at his eyes. "Thank you Geng, I'm not sure I could have handled that without you here."

"No thanks needed. I think we're going to take a quick break though, get some fresh air," Han Geng said, obviously still very angry. "We'll be back once the reporters stop swarming. HeeChul?" He held out his hands to help the rooster up. 

"I'm sorry," HeeChul said, pouting a little as he took Han Geng's hand and got to his feet. "This is why it's not a good idea for me to go anywhere in public, the words just come out and I can't stop them."

"That's fine. I was looking for a reason to tell him off, even if I have to be politically correct about it." Han Geng curled his fingers around HeeChul's. "I'm just glad he didn't try anything, because then I would have punched him and bloodied Zhou Mi's expensive carpeting." 

"Would have been worth it," Zhou Mi said. "I'll see you two in a bit... they're probably bringing the winning rabbit up here right now."

"Congratulate him for me," Han Geng nodded, leading HeeChul to the door and leaving.

They weren't gone for more than a minute before there was another knock on the door, KyuHyun pulling it open. "And here's our winner," he said, stepping inside. KyuJong followed after him, bowing to Zhou Mi. "The game organizers are here as well." 

"KyuJong, it's good to see you again," Zhou Mi said, smiling warmly at the rabbit. "Congratulations, you did very well this entire series."

"Thank you sir," KyuJong said, nervously shuffling away from KyuHyun. The snake wrinkled his nose slightly before frowning at Zhou Mi. He could tell something was up, but couldn't ask about it with the games organizers coming in to congratulate Zhou Mi on another smoothly run pre-tournament. 

Zhou Mi made light conversation with the organizers until HyungJoon arrived. It was obvious by the way the young house master was looking at his rabbit how much he cared for KyuJong. They were definitely closer than they had been when Zhou Mi had seen them last, though HyungJoon had tired dark circles under his eyes. Zhou Mi was aware of the situation with the Kim house, and how much KyuJong winning would mean for them.

After they had left and the door was finally closed so it left Zhou Mi alone with KyuHyun. He smiled tiredly at his snake, holding out a hand to him. "Geng and HeeChul will be back in a bit, but we have a few minutes for us. Ready for a break?"

"Hell yes." KyuHyun took the offered hand, stepping closer. He leaned in to kiss Zhou Mi deeply, free hand twining into the human's hair. "A long break without anything to worry about. You look like you've been chewed up and spat out." 

"Master Jung was just here, making waves," Zhou Mi said, pulling KyuHyun down to sit in his lap. "How are the fighters feeling about a rabbit winning?"

"Oh some of them squawked, but I think more were impressed he made it that far, let alone won," KyuHyun replied, eyes tightening slightly as he made himself comfortable. "What did the old sourpuss want?" 

"Tried to tell me how to do my job again," Zhou Mi said, nuzzling into KyuHyun's neck and just holding him. "Can I just avoid the press until we come back from break? They're going to want me to talk about KyuJong winning and what it will mean. I don't want to."

"A rabbit won, let them run with that themselves for a bit." KyuHyun ran his fingers slowly through Zhou Mi's hair. "I think we can convince your assistants to distract the press while we sneak out the back way." 

"As much as I would love to, I should probably make a statement," Zhou Mi sighed. "But then we're leaving the city for the next month. I need to buy a house in the country. Somewhere we can go where no one knows where we are."

"I like the sound of that," KyuHyun chuckled. "No one around but us?" He pulled back enough to look into Zhou Mi's eyes. "And you can finally lose the raccoon look." 

"I don't know, after so many years I think it's permanent," Zhou Mi pouted at him. "We should go. Faster I give a comment the faster we can get out of here and go home. Geng and HeeChul are around here somewhere if you want to find them while I make a statement to the press."

"We'll find them later." KyuHyun kissed Zhou Mi's pout, nipping his lower lip lightly. "Someone has to get you back out of there before they eat you alive." 

Zhou Mi hummed a little, leaning in to kiss KyuHyun properly. "What would I do without my KuiXian?" he murmured against KyuHyun's lips.

"That's scary, let's not think about it," KyuHyun mumbled back, returning the long kiss before pulling back and climbing off the human's lap. "You'd have to kill all the spiders in the loft yourself, for one." 

"Don't even _joke_ about that," Zhou Mi said, getting to his feet. "Can you imagine me trying to deal with spiders by myself? I'd probably just end up moving."

"After breaking everything in the apartment," KyuHyun grinned. "And leaving dead spiders all over the place because you can throw shoes to kill them, but there's no way you're going to pick up the spider _or_ the shoe afterwards." 

"You're enjoying this aren't you," Zhou Mi huffed, stalking towards the door. "I for one am glad there are no spider Signs. If you had turned out to be a spider you would have been sent right back."

"What, don't want a boyfriend with eight arms?" KyuHyun grinned, following after him. "It could be _really_ interesting." 

"I prefer a boyfriend with two arms," Zhou Mi said, shuddering. "Anything else is unnatural. Now I'm not going to be able to look at you without thinking about you having eight arms. That is not a mental image I need."

"There, now you'll be too focused on the idea of spider boyfriends to worry about the statement," KyuHyun smirked, nudging Zhou Mi's side before pulling the door open for him. "I'll help get it out of your head after," he added in Mandarin. 

"You better," Zhou Mi replied in kind, stepping out of his office. As he expected, he was set upon by a couple dozen reporters and flashing cameras. The assistants and guards had been quickly overrun in trying to keep the press in their own little corner but Zhou Mi just smiled. His statement was brief and to the point, congratulating HyungJoon and his rabbit and thanking every fighter. "We will return in month's time, and as the pretournament was very exciting, I'm confident the real games will be even better. Thank you." Nodding politely, he let KyuHyun lead him through the press and to the stairs where they would descend to his waiting car. From there, it was a month of sleep, good food, and rolling around in sheets with KyuHyun. He'd worry about the games once they came back from break and not a minute before.

************************************30

The ride back to the Kim house was long, giving KiBum more than enough time to fret over seeing his brother again for the first time in 4 years. He'd graduated a week ago, celebrating with SooHyun, Kevin, and the couple other friends he'd made in the same year. KiBum had taken his time packing to come back home, writing out a letter to Henry and sorting out with Han Geng how long he could be gone from his job for. Han Geng had assured him he could manage for the summer, and that the job would still be there when KiBum came back to the city.

About an hour into the trip, KiBum had fallen asleep with his head in SooHyun's lap; sleep hadn't come easily the night before. Some time later, a sudden bump in the road jolted him awake, eyes snapping open. "Are we there yet?" He mumbled into SooHyun's shirt. 

"No, I don't think so," SooHyun said, looking down at KiBum and running his hands through the man's hair. "All I can see are fields and hills. Did you sleep well?"

"Mhm," KiBum tilted his head to blink up at SooHyun, eyes half-open. "What have you been doing, just watching outside the window?" 

"Yes... it's very peaceful out here," SooHyun said, looking out the window again. "All the trees and flowers. I've never seen so many plants, they go as far as I can see. It must have been very nice growing up out here."

"I'll have to show you around, there's a massive forest by the Jung's house," KiBum yawned. "If Master Jung's not around, we'll sneak over. Best place for all sorts of games when we were kids." 

"I look forward to it," SooHyun smiled, tracing his finger over KiBum's jaw. "Are you still nervous about seeing your brother?"

"Yeah," KiBum nodded, closing his eyes. "I don't really know what I'll say to him…it's been a long time. Guess I'll just try not to get into another fight right off the bat." 

"Maybe it won't be as bad as you fear," SooHyun said. "It has been a long time. Is there anything I can do that will make it easier for you?"

"Not really…I think this is something I have to do myself," KiBum sighed, finding the hand against his jaw and twining their fingers together. "But I already feel better having you here with me." 

"Good, I'll be right here if you need me for anything," SooHyun said, smiling down at him. He looked up when the car started to slow. "I think we're here... is this really where you live?" he said, looking up at the giant house they were pulling up to.

Opening his eyes, KiBum sat up in his seat. He looked out the window at the manor, watching as they drove past the practice fields. "Yeah, this is it. Come on, let's see if anyone's home," he paid the driver before opening the door and getting out, stretching his arms and legs after the long ride. 

"I'll get the bags sir," SooHyun said, climbing out after him. "I'll be right behind you," he said, motioning a little to go to the door as he waited for the driver to open the back door of the transport.

Pouting a little, KiBum knew better than to argue by now. He didn't like leaving work for SooHyun to do (he could carry his own bags), but a lot of their relationship right now was about picking his battles and letting the goat do what made him comfortable.

Heading up to the door, he took a deep breath and squared his shoulders before pushing it open. To his surprise, his brother was right on the other side, and KiBum smiled. "Hey hyung! Long time no see! What are you doing so close to the door, you're going to get yourself hurt." He pulled HyungJoon into a tight hug. 

SooHyun heard the two talking as he picked up the few bags they had and started for the door. When he got up the steps, he blinked slightly as he looked between the two brothers. If he couldn't smell KiBum, he wouldn't be sure which was which they looked so alike.

"Just set them down there, the servants will take care of them," HyungJoon was motioning towards the bags. "So you going to introduce me KiBum?"

"Oh, right," KiBum and SooHyun had talked (and argued) about this; KiBum had wanted to introduce SooHyun as his boyfriend, but he didn't even know how HyungJoon would react to that. "This is my personal slave, SooHyun, I've had him for about a year now. SooHyun, this is my brother."

 

Setting the bags down, SooHyun bowed low to HyungJoon. "An honor sir, Master has told me a lot about you."

"Good things I hope," HyungJoon said. "Nice to meet you SooHyun, KyuJong should be down momentarily and he'll show you to your room. Your room is still the same KiBum, you remember where it is?"

"Of course I do, I haven't been gone my entire life," KiBum replied, then looked up as a very familiar rabbit slid down the railing from the second floor. "Hey, Kyu's gotten better at not sliding right off and landing on his head." KyuJong immediately turned red, bowing repeatedly. 

"Don't make him panic," HyungJoon was saying. SooHyun returned the bow to the rabbit, ears twitching a little. He sniffed the air a little, unable to mistake the fact that the rabbit's scent was all over the human and vice versa. Hadn't KiBum said that KyuJong wasn't his brother's bedwarmer? He kept his expression neutral though, even as he straightened back up. "Why don't you show SooHyun here to his room Kyu, and then you two meet us in the dining hall. Lunch is just about ready right?"

"Yes sir," KyuJong nodded, turning a smile to SooHyun. "Please follow me SooHyun sshi, the bags will be brought upstairs shortly." The rabbit turned to head up the stairs again, long ears flopping over his shoulders. 

"Okay," SooHyun said, looking to KiBum with a frown. Hopefully KiBum would be okay without him, he knew how anxious KiBum had been about talking to his brother again. He followed KyuJong up the stairs, grabbing at least one of his bags. "I won't be needing my own room," he said, keeping his voice low. "I will stay with master."

Blinking, KyuJong looked back at him as they reached the landing. The rabbit opened his mouth to reply before his nose twitched. "…Oh," he said, clearly smelling KiBum on SooHyun just as well as SooHyun could smell HyungJoon on him. The rabbit's brow furrowed slightly, and he looked like he was going to ask a question before he thought better of it and smiled. "All right then. Makes my job a little easier, let me show you to KiBum's room." He turned to walk down the hallway. 

"Master has told me a lot about you," SooHyun said, looking around the hallways as they walked. "I have to say, I may admire you a bit. You actually won the pretournament?"

"By default," KyuJong flushed, looking back at SooHyun. "I haven't really done anything worth admiring, but thank you. Is there anything I can get for you? If you ever need anything while you're here, just let me know." 

"I should be fine, but thank you," SooHyun said. "It's more than just the fighting... master tells me you have a garden that your master lets you tend. I... am envious that you have a hobby like that, and that you get to do things that you want."

"I'm…confused," KyuJong tilted his head slightly. "KiBum doesn't let you do the same? Or is it that you don't know of any hobbies you would like?" 

"I don't have any hobbies," SooHyun said. "My master... the one before, he didn't want me doing anything but serve him and his friends. I guess you could say my hobby was sex."

"Oh." KyuJong chewed on his lip, walking slowly down the hallway. "I see. You've belonged to KiBum for a year though? You haven't found anything that would interest you?" 

"No, but it's okay," SooHyun shrugged. "I've already let master know I'm happy with my life right now and don't want to change anything. I'm happiest serving master."

"I understand," KyuJong smiled at him. "While you're here though, you'll find the servants take care of most of the serving that needs to be done. And here's KiBum's room." He opened a door, stepping into the room and moving to the window to open it. 

"Master doesn't really like it when I do things for him either, but it's what I'm here for," SooHyun said, setting his bag down on the floor. "Are there any rules of the house I should know?"

"I'm sort of surprised KiBum has a slave, I remember he wouldn't talk to his father for a month when the subject first came up." KyuJong pulled the window open, breathing in deeply before turning around to look at SooHyun with a smile. "Try not to disturb the fighters while they're practicing, but you're more than welcome to ask me questions while I'm down in the practice field. Also, don't leave the property alone, Master Jung is not very friendly to _anyone_ he finds on his property. Aside from that, feel free to look around, it's a big place. The gardens are out back if you ever need a spot of green, you can see them from the window actually." He stepped to the side to leave the window free. 

SooHyun padded over to peer out the window, his eyes wide. "Wow, Master was right... the garden is beautiful." His lips thinned slightly and he looked down. "Master said it was the only way he could get me away from my previous owner. He... was not a kind or fair person like master is. He saved me."

"Ah, that sounds more like KiBum." KyuJong's eyes saddened, before he smiled. "You'll enjoy being part of the Kim house. Both brothers, and their father when he was alive, are very understanding towards Signs. And they reward our hard work just as they do with their human servants. Every Sign in this house would fight to protect it." 

"I'm honored to be a part of it," SooHyun said, looking up and smiling brightly. "The Kim house is well respected, we are very fortunate to have such kind and fair masters."

"We are," KyuJong nodded, returning the smile. "We should check up on them now, the servants will be up with the rest of the bags while we have lunch. Do you have any other questions or concerns?" 

"No, I'm sure Master will instruct me on anything I will need to know," SooHyun said, looking around the room they were in. "This room is very large... Master didn't share with anyone else?"

"No," KyuJong shook his head. "KiBum's always been by himself." 

"Ah... no wonder," SooHyun said softly. "Where is Master now?"

"Probably in the dining hall with Master HyungJoon," KyuJong headed back towards the door before turning to SooHyun. "I was serious earlier…the servants take care of the majority of the work here, and there's only so many times laundry can be done a day. If you're ever restless and searching for something to do, you're more than welcome to work with me out in the gardens. I wouldn't mind an extra hand, since most of my time is spent practicing nowadays." 

"I don't know if you should trust me with your garden," SooHyun admitted, shaking his head. "I may eat all your flowers on accident... and I'm not a wood element, I wouldn't know what to do."

"If you want flowers to eat, I can show you which ones I wouldn't mind eaten," KyuJong chuckled. "Some are tropical and so hard to grow. You don't have to be a wood element, just have patience." 

"If that is what you wish me to do, then I will try," SooHyun said. "Of course I will have to ask master first."

"I'm not twisting your arm, you do as you like," KyuJong replied, stepping out of the room. "I'm sure you'll get the full tour from KiBum at some point. Let's rejoin them." 

Nodding, SooHyun followed along behind KyuJong until they reached the dining hall. It was hard to concentrate on what they were saying until KiBum was speaking to him again, telling him to sit down. He tried to keep up with the conversation, but found his attention wandering more than anything until there was talk of a party for KiBum. He kept his thoughts to himself until they were done with lunch and heading back up to KiBum's room. "I'm surprised, they're throwing you a party?" he said quietly as they climbed the stairs.

"I'm just as surprised as you are," KiBum replied, brow furrowed. "I wonder if YoungSaeng hyung can come…" As soon as he thought about it though, he knew it wasn't possible. If YoungSaeng were to leave the Jung house, he would be in a lot of trouble with Master Jung. KiBum would have to find an opening to sneak over; he missed his hyung. 

"Who is YoungSaeng?" SooHyun asked. That wasn't a name he was familiar with. "Is he a fighter?"

"Hm? No, you'll meet the fighters soon," KiBum replied, eyes lowering as he remembered what he'd been told about one of their fighters' deaths. "He's, uh…a slave in the Jung house. He was a very close friend before I left for university. I wonder how he's doing..." 

"You are friends with a slave in the Jung house? I thought all of the slaves over there went crazy from how Master Jung breaks them," SooHyun said, reaching KiBum's door and opening it for him.

KiBum's jaw clenched slightly. It had been a struggle to keep his composure downstairs when Master Jung was brought up in the conversation. "That's the dragons mostly, and the other fighters too. Master Jung is a despicable, vile man who should die in a fire. I'm just glad YunHo has control of the house now…and that he's keeping YoungSaeng hyung safe from that man." He stepped into the room, heading to the window and looking out. All their bags had been brought up to the room. 

SooHyun's brow furrowed slightly, watching KiBum as he closed the door. "If YoungSaeng is so important... why did you not offer to buy him like you did with me?"

"I never wanted a slave…the thought never crossed my mind back then. And if you'd ever met Master Jung, and I hope you never do… you'd know he doesn't give up anything he considers his. He would have mocked me, then hurt hyung even more after." KiBum leaned out of the window slightly, looking down at the grounds. 

"But if given the chance, would you have?" SooHyun asked, approaching KiBum from behind, his arms going around the human's waist.

"I would have…I'd have to beat YunHo to it though." KiBum sighed quietly, straightening. "I'd buy every single slave in that house just to get them away from him. But I can't help them…as much as I want to, I can't." 

"You are though, aren't you?" SooHyun said softly. "You, and the commissioner... you're working to help all slaves, especially the ones you know are being hurt like the ones in the Jung house. You're doing it as much for me as you are for YoungSaeng... probably more so."

"I'm doing it for everyone…for everyone who's suffering just because they're a little different. But I don't know if this is even going to work or not." KiBum's fingers gripped the windowsill tightly, shoulders stiff. "And it won't be in time to save everyone." 

"Maybe not, but you at least helped the life of one," SooHyun said, resting his chin on KiBum's shoulder. "I hope that counts for something to you.. because it's everything to me."

KiBum finally gave a small smile at that, shoulders easing. "Of course it counts to me," he murmured, fingers covering SooHyun's at his waist. "Thanks…for reminding me. I'm just feeling a little useless right now. One of my friends here died while I was away…and I didn't even know about it. Never got a chance to say goodbye." 

"I'm sorry," SooHyun replied. "But you aren't useless sir. So many people are going to be counting on you, and they don't even know it yet."

KiBum's hand dropped from SooHyun's. "I thought you weren't going to call me that when we're alone." He slipped out from between SooHyun and the window, picking up a bag and dropping it onto the bed to unpack. 

"... I said I would try," SooHyun said, leaning his hands against the window. "Are you angry with me?"

"No…I could never be angry with you." Eyes lowered, KiBum slowly removed the books from the bag and placed them on a shelf. 

"Disappointed then," SooHyun sighed, shoulders slumping. "I think I'm going to look around and explore... if that's okay."

"Yeah, go ahead," KiBum nodded, not looking towards the goat. 

"... I'll be back in a bit then, KiBum," SooHyun said, moving towards the door. Closing the door behind him, he thought about just camping outside for an hour or so, but that would look too weid. He felt weird about wandering around the house without KiBum with him, nervous that someone would say something to him about being away from his master.

As it was, no one said anything to him. A few of the servants in the house gave him strange looks, but that was probably because he was unfamiliar to them. Not even KiBum's brother and KyuJong said anything to him as they went passed while he was returning to KiBum's room after exploring the different levels. As they passed, he caught a slight hint of a scent. A scent he was sure he had to be mistaken about.

Opening the door to KiBum's room, he frowned slightly as he stepped in and closed the door. "You said there hasn't been any snakes in the house since KyuJong came here because of his fear of them, right?"

KiBum had finished unpacking by then, dividing the dresser between his and SooHyun's clothes and dumping the empty bags in the closet. Stretched out on the bed in an attempt to nap, without much success, his eyes opened when SooHyun returned. "Uh…yeah. He goes into total panic attacks. Why?" 

"I just passed your brother and KyuJong in the hall, your brother was carrying a box and I could have sworn I smelled snake on him when he passed," SooHyun said. "It was really faint, could barely smell it over the rabbit smell, but it was there."

"…That doesn't make sense though, there's no snakes here," KiBum sat up slightly, rubbing his eyes. "Closest snake would be in the Jung house, YoungSaeng." 

"I'm not sure what is going on, but I'm fairly certain of what I smelled," SooHyun said, padding over to the bed and sitting down. "I'm sorry, about earlier... I am trying very very it's just... it's not an easy habit for me to break."

"I know," KiBum sighed, looking down at his knees. "I'm trying to be understanding about that. I'm sorry too." 

Shifting around, SooHyun crawled over to KiBum on his hands and knees. "We can agree that we both have things to wok on still, and I KiBum.... I love you."

KiBum's eyes lifted to meet SooHyun's. "You do? Really?" He reached out with one hand, framing the goat's face lightly. 

SooHyun nodded, moving forward a little more to push KiBum back down gently to the bed. "I think I have loved you for a very long time, but wasn't sure... Signs don't fall in love, but if a word could be used to describe how I feel about you... love should be it."

"Anyone can fall in love," KiBum grinned widely at that, arms looping around SooHyun's neck. "Even Signs. I love you too, you silly goat." 

SooHyun's face lit up at that, leaning down to press his lips to KiBum's. "I want to be your silly goat forever KiBum... I love you, so much," he murmured against KiBum's mouth, his hand sliding up KiBum's shirt.

Groaning quietly, KiBum arched up against the older man. "If that's what you want, you'll always be my silly goat," he replied when they broke the kiss to breathe. His hands reached up to tug on SooHyun's shirt, trying to pull it off. 

"It's the only thing I want," SooHyun said, sitting up long enough to pull his shirt off and toss it to the side. They made short work of each other's clothes, SooHyun drawing out the kisses as long as he could as his hands roamed over KiBum's soft skin. Being with KiBum was the only thing he ever wanted, it was the most important thing in his life. 

It was quick, SooHyun a little more enthusiastic than usual. When he finally slumped over to the side, he panted harshly. "More of that too," he said breathlessly.

KiBum laughed just as breathlessly, arm wrapping around the goat's waist. "If it was possible to die from too much sex…" He pressed soft kisses to SooHyun's nose, cheeks and lips, humming in contentment. 

"I don't know if I want to find out," SooHyun replied, his hand trailing up and down KiBum's back lightly. "Even if it would be fun..." he grinned, rolling slightly so he was back on top of KiBum and kissing him again.

A knock on the door startled SooHyun, the goat squeaking a little as he tried to roll off and find his clothes, tumbling off the bed in the process.

Blinking repeatedly, KiBum resisted the urge to laugh at the hapless goat. He wasn't sure who was at the door, but he needed to be dressed no matter who it was.

He found his clothes before SooHyun did, pulling them on and patting his hair down. Checking to make sure SooHyun was out of view of the door, KiBum pulled it open just enough to stick his head out. It was his brother. "Hey hyung. What's up, I thought you were locked up in your office." 

Ears up, SooHyun tried to hear what was being said between the two brothers. "Well I was, can we come in?" HyungJoon was saying. 

SooHyun's eyes widened and he flailed his arms in an attempt to get the blankets untangled from around his waist. He'd gotten up to his knees before he pitched forward and smacked his forehead on the floor.

"What was that?" HyungJoon asked, his voice sounding perplexed.

"Oh, that was...SooHyun getting his horns stuck somewhere, you know how goats are," KiBum glanced behind him at the goat, trying not to laugh at SooHyun's predicament. "Give me a sec to untangle him, he's a little embarrassed." Closing the door, he crouched beside SooHyun and pulled the blanket off of him completely. "Better?" 

"Thank you," SooHyun whispered, cheeks flushed. Picking up his clothes, he pulled them on as quickly as he could and rushed to the door to open it for KiBum. Pulling it open, just as HyungJoon was whispering loudly to KyuJong.

" _Sex_?!"

SooHyun wasn't sure if his cheeks could get any redder at that, because he was sure the way KyuJong was looking anxious and the way HyungJoon looked at him, they knew. He tried a smile anyway. "Uh... um... sorry," he said, ducking to the other side of the door and looking at KiBum with wide eyes.

Managing to not turn the same shade of red, KiBum shook his head at the goat and resigned himself to the teasing that would follow for months now. He'd forgotten that with the keen sense of smell Signs had, KyuJong would definitely notice they'd been sleeping together, and if KyuJong knew then it was only a matter of time before he told HyungJoon.

Going to the doorway, he looked at his brother. "Well, are you coming in or not?"

"I don't know if we should," HyungJoon stepped in with KyuJong right behind him. "First of all, are you two sleeping together?"

"Yes," KiBum wasn't going to look embarrassed about it, not if HyungJoon was going to try bringing up the whole slave thing. "And what's your point, you're sleeping with KyuJong." He could see KyuJong flushing. 

SooHyun shuffled anxiously behind KiBum, not sure what to do or say. There was such tension between the two bothers, both of them combative in their words.

"It was just a question," HyungJoon said, shrugging. "I can't be curious about who my brother's with?" SooHyun whined uncomfortably when HyungJoon's attention was turned to him, an accusing finger pointed at him. "What are your intentions with my little brother?" 

"Oh leave him alone hyung, this was why I didn't want to tell you," KiBum grumbled, his hand finding SooHyun's and threading their fingers together. He used the grip to pull the goat out from behind him so they could sit down on the bed. "What was it you wanted to talk about?" He asked, to distract HyungJoon from going on a potential big-brother speech.

"Hm? Oh right, you remember YoungSaeng right? Well he's upstairs in one of the spare rooms, don't tell anyone and don't go up there," HyungJoon said.

"Was that the snake I smelled earlier?" SooHyun asked quietly.

"Yeah, he's our neighbor's personal slave," HyungJoon nodded. "We're hiding him here for the next couple of days... Master Jung is coming back."

"...Oh, fantastic," KiBum rolled his eyes, leaning back on his hands. "Keeping YoungSaeng here makes sense then. YunHo brought him by?" When KyuJong nodded, the younger brother's lips pursed. "Got it, no telling anyone. How long's Master Jung back for?"

"No idea, he could be here all week since the tournament is starting soon," HyungJoon said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I mean it though, don't go up there at all. He's shedding, and not very happy."

"Nope, not going anywhere near a shedding snake," KiBum shook his head. "Hopefully he'll be more talkative after it's over, haven't talked to him in a long time."

"Didn't know you two were so close," HyungJoon raised an eyebrow. "He should be back to normal in a couple days, so you'll be able to talk to him. Also, he'll be going to the games, so you'll be able to talk to him then."

"Hey, it's not like there were many people to talk to around here," KiBum wrinkled his nose at the older man. "He's going to the games? Not with Master Jung, right?"

"No, with YunHo," HyungJoon shook his head. "YunHo doesn't let YoungSaeng anywhere near Master Jung anymore. I _really_ wish I could get details on what happened there, but you know YunHo, stoic as ever."

"There's probably a good reason he never shares details," KiBum shrugged. "We'll keep YoungSaeng safe, right hyung?"

"Of course we will. No one ever deserves to go through what that snake has, slave or not," HyungJoon said quietly, glancing at KyuJong out of the corner of his eye. "Well, we'll be going, sorry to interrupt."

"See you later hyung," KiBum nodded, watching them go. Once the door was closed behind them, he let out the breath he'd been holding and rubbed his face with one hand. "So it was YoungSaeng who you smelled…I'm really worried about him." 

"Maybe when he's done shedding you'll be able to see him," SooHyun said. "And you wouldn't even have to sneak over onto the Jung house property."

"Yeah…" KiBum's lips quirked slightly at that. "At least he's somewhere safe now. Things must be…really bad over at the Jung house if YunHo's resorting to bringing him here when his father's around." 

"...I don't quite understand why?" Soohyun said, brow furrowing. "You all speak of YoungSaeng in such a way that I don't understand... What does Master Jung do to him?"

KiBum didn't reply for a moment, lips thinned. "YoungSaeng is Master Jung's bedwarmer. Most of the times I see him he's got a handful of new bruises, sometimes worse." 

"Oh..." SooHyun's ears drooped and he looked down at his hands. "As bad as my master was, he never truly hurt me in that way. But it's so common for Signs to be abused." Something clicked in his head and he looked up at KiBum. "... Who keeps a snake as a bedwarmer?"

"…You'd understand if you met Master Jung," KiBum sighed. "And again, I hope you never, ever meet him. He's a horrible man." KiBum rested his hand lightly on SooHyun's knee. 

"Just from what I've heard, I hope I never do," SooHyun said, his hand covering KiBum's, his brow furrowed a little. "Master Jung is who the commissioner was speaking of when he said you needed to be careful right? If I ever did meet him, I would do whatever I could to make sure you were safe."

"Don't worry about me," KiBum said quietly, looking up at SooHyun. "As long as I'm careful with the club, he can't do a thing to hurt me. But you're too much of a target to someone like him, and I said I'd _never_ let anyone hurt you ever again." 

"I know, and you haven't," SooHyun said, smiling softly at him. "I am forever in your debt because of that... thank you, KiBum."

Smiling widely, KiBum leaned in to kiss SooHyun, turning his hand around to link their fingers together. "So…we have some free time, before the party tonight. Do you want to go walk around outside while there's still daylight? Or stay up here and mess up the bed some more." 

"Both are tempting," SooHyun mused, returning KiBum's kiss. "It's really hard to say we should leave the room when I've got you right here."

"True," KiBum chuckled. "We could…stay a while, then go walk around after?" He shifted slowly to straddle SooHyun's lap, smiling at the goat and playing with one ear. 

"You make a good argument," SooHyun hummed, his eyes fluttering slightly at the touch to his ears. "I..." he tried to speak again, but KiBum's fingers had brushed over a particularly sensitive spot and before he could help it he let out a very undignified bleat.

Blinking, KiBum burst into helpless giggles. "Ah…what am I gonna do with you," he smiled affectionately at SooHyun, touching their noses together. 

SooHyun flushed at that, lips turning into a pout. "Are you going to try to get me to do that again? I don't consider it to be all that attractive..."

"I think it's adorable," KiBum grinned, fingers already trying to locate that spot again. 

"No, it's not," SooHyun whined, ears flicking. "It's not, it's not adorable." His own fingers went to KiBum's sides in retaliation, tickling at his ribs.

"It is~—" KiBum squawked at the tickling, falling out of SooHyun's lap and onto the floor with a thud. "Ow." 

"Sir!" SooHyun's eyes widened and was immediately up onto his feet to help KiBum back up. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for you to fall."

Opening one eye, KiBum smirked and took both of SooHyun's hands to pull the goat down onto the floor with him. He sat on top of the older man, pinning him down. "Gotcha." 

SooHyun was very confused with this sudden reversal, looking up at KiBum. "That was a trick?" he asked with a frown. "I thought you were hurt... I don't know if the floor is going to be that comfortable..." his hands slid up to rest on the outside of KiBum's thighs.

"Falling down wasn't a trick, I just improved," KiBum grinned. "We can move back to the bed, after you agree that sound was completely adorable." He tried to reach SooHyun's ear again. 

"No, never, not cute," SooHyun whined, squirming to get away from the searching fingers. "Goats are not adorable."

"Goats can so be adorable, you're proof of that," KiBum wasn't going to let SooHyun up off the floor until the goat gave in. "Your ears are cute, that sound was cute, and I bet your goat form's cute too." 

"No, goats are not cute, goats are dirty and ugly and they smell," SooHyun said, wiggling to get away.

"You're not dirty, you're not ugly, and you don't smell," KiBum tightened his legs around SooHyun to stop the older man from moving. "I know some Signs change form by getting scared, or tickling…will you turn into a goat if I tickle you?" His fingers found SooHyun's waist. 

"No... no please don't," SooHyun shook his head emphatically, the goat squirming even more. "Please don't... please master," he said, his tone pleading, pushing at KiBum to get him off.

KiBum pulled back, eyes hurt. He finally realized how SooHyun was reacting, letting the goat push him off. "I…I'm sorry," he said quietly, pushing his back up against the bed. 

It took a moment of deep breathing before SooHyun could sit up, looking at KiBum with sorrowful eyes. "I'm sorry... KiBum... JaeSoo never let me be in animal form. He told me how dirty and disgusting I was all the time." His eyes closed, curling his knees up to his chest. "One time, I was startled by something and went into goat form... he... made me live outside in a barn for a month."

Swallowing thickly, KiBum looked up at SooHyun. "JaeSoo's wrong…you're not dirty or disgusting. He's the one who belongs in a barn, not you." He looked down at the floor. "You know I'd never do anything like that to you."

"I know," SooHyun whispered, his eyes shut tightly. "I just... had a moment there when you were telling me to do it that I couldn't think of anything but being punished again for it... He used to do that to me, make me do something and then punish me for it. It's... it's a hard thing to get over and I'm sorry." 

"No, I'm the one who should be apologizing," KiBum said quietly. "I didn't mean to scare you…I…just wanted to show you that it's okay. That you don't have to hide a part of yourself from me…cause I love all of you." 

"And I'm very grateful for that," SooHyun said, finally looking up at him. "Maybe one day I'll be able to... but I think I'm most comfortable in my half form for now."

KiBum nodded slowly, eyes trained on the floor. "I understand…I'm sorry. I didn't even realize…I was acting like a master." 

"You weren't acting like a master... you were acting like a boyfriend," SooHyun said. "I'm sorry I reacted the way I did."

"You're not the one who should be apologizing," KiBum closed his eyes. 

SooHyun sighed sogtly, scooting forward and placing his hands on KiBum's legs. "You don't have to apologize either. There are things we still have to work on, and work on them together."

KiBum opened his eyes again, looking down at the hands on his legs. "I just don't ever want to do that to you." 

"KiBum... I know you would never intentionally do anything like that," SooHyun said. "You're not like that. I'm okay now, don't worry."

"I'll always worry," KiBum looked up at SooHyun. "I never stop worrying about you." 

"And that's why you make a great boyfriend," SooHyun said, leaning in to rest is forehead against KiBum's. Looking into KiBum's eyes, his lips quirked slightly and he made a soft bleating noise.

A small smile appeared unbidden, the helplessness in KiBum's eyes easing. "So cute," he whispered, brushing his lips gently against SooHyun's. 

"I can't agree with you on that," SooHyun replied, lifting a hand to thread his fingers into KiBum's hair. "But if it makes you smile, okay."

"Maybe one day you'll agree with me," KiBum murmured, slowly pulling SooHyun closer so he could wrap his arms around the goat. 

SooHyun didn't reply, just leaning in for another kiss that turned quickly heated. He didn't want to say that he didn't know if he ever would, but what he probably should say is that when he was with KiBum he almost felt like he could. In the end it didn't matter, because as long as KiBum looked at him with those eyes, he could probably believe anything the human said. 

And if KiBum found his ears and horns cute, then he was happy to keep them out. Because there may have been a little part of him that liked the way KiBum touched his ears. Especially once he had KiBum back up on the bed, and the human was paying more attention to those ears than the kisses or anything else that SooHyun was doing. He wasn't going to complain though, it actually did feel really nice, even if he made some very loud noises because of it.

*********************************31

Being back home after so long was still weird to KiBum a couple days later. He did his best not to get into fights with HyungJoon, finding himself biting his tongue a lot. Especially whenever tournament business came up. He didn't know what he was going to do when he followed HyungJoon to the tournaments in under a month, still not sure why he'd agreed in the first place. At least he'd be able to keep an eye on the protests…somehow.

He'd spent a lot of time either with SooHyun (wandering the grounds or holed up in their room) or chatting with the fighters in their spare time. He also made a point of visiting the small family cemetery to say hi to his mother and father.

Coming back to his room after going to see his brother, KiBum had a wide smile. "YoungSaeng hyung's awake," he grinned once the door was closed behind him. "I think I'll go say hi." 

"Oh..." SooHyun sat up from where he had been laying down. "Do you want me to go with you?" he asked, brow furrowing slightly. "Are you even allowed to? Didn't your brother say not to bother him?"

"Yeah, but hyung never knew about me going across to the Jung's place to see him before either," KiBum shrugged. "You can come if you want to." 

"Maybe it's better if I don't... at least for now," SooHyun said. "He's your friend, and I think it would be awkward."

"If you think so," KiBum frowned. "But what will you do down here?" 

"I was thinking of going down to the garden actually," SooHyun said, one ear twitching. "It's a very nice garden, I like being in it."

KiBum grinned widely at that. "Ah, okay. It is really nice, there's no better gardener than KyuJong. I'll come find you when I'm done then." He walked over to the bed and leaned in to kiss SooHyun lightly. 

"Okay, and maybe I'll go with you next time you see him," SooHyun said, returning the kiss. "He seems... important to you, I'll want to meet him."

"He's a great guy, I'm sure you'll like him," KiBum chuckled. "Have fun out in the garden." He lingered against SooHyun's mouth for a moment longer before pulling back. KiBum left the room, heading towards the stairs.

YoungSaeng was in a room on the top floor, KiBum trying to remember where he'd noticed KyuJong bringing food. Finding the door, he drew in a deep breath and knocked lightly. "…Hyung?" 

"KiBum?" YoungSaeng was standing at the window, back to the door but looking over his shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

KiBum smiled widely when he saw the older man. "I heard you were done shedding, and thought I'd say hi…can I come in?" 

"Of course... I was kind of half expecting you to sneak up here at some point," YoungSaeng said, turning around and moving to sit down on the bed. "Hard to believe it's been four years since I saw you last... I think you got a little taller."

"HyungJoon hyung said the same thing," KiBum chuckled, stepping into the room. He was mindful to close the door after himself, since no one else in the house was supposed to know YoungSaeng was here. "How have you been?" 

"That's a loaded question," YoungSaeng chuckled, looking towards the window again. "I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life, and also scared to death. I'm sure your brother's told you what's going on."

KiBum stepped over to sit down on the bed next to the snake. "He's told me what he knows…which isn't that much. Things are really that bad over there?" he asked quietly, eyes worried. 

"In all the time I've been at that house, I've never actually worried about my life... not completely," YoungSaeng said. "These past few months... I've been beaten and humiliated, yet I'm still more afraid for YunHo right now than myself."

"Hyung said that YunHo's not letting Master Jung anywhere near you, and kicked him out of the house," KiBum's eyes were wide. "The old man's got to be _pissed_ …" 

"I imagine he is," YoungSaeng nodded. "And if he were to get a hold of me right now... death would probably be welcome after he gets through with me."

KiBum sat up straight. "But we're _not_ going to let him get you," he said adamantly. "You're here so we can look after you, right? And YunHo won't let him get you either." 

"At what expense?" YoungSaeng said, lips quirked sadly. "I wouldn't put it past master to have something done to harm YunHo either. Especially with this new wife and trying to conceive another heir."

"…What?" KiBum's eyes widened slowly. "You're serious? He'd really resort to that?" 

"I don't have a doubt in my mind that he would do anything to keep himself in power," YoungSaeng said. "Even if that meant raising a child under his cold ruthless grip to be just like him. YunHo had the advantage that his mother was a very kind woman who kept herself between master and her son. Whatever child comes of this new wife... won't be so lucky."

KiBum's eyes lowered, thinking about that. This was just insane. There _had_ to be something he could do to help…right? "What can I do to help, hyung?" He looked up at YoungSaeng. "I'll do anything." 

"I don't think there's anything you can do KiBum," YoungSaeng said, shaking his head. "YunHo needs to win the tournament in order to get enough sway to keep the house from his father."

"Oh," KiBum looked down at his hands again. "Well…I'll be rooting for you guys then, I guess. I'm going to watch the tournament this year." 

"You are?" YoungSaeng raised an eyebrow at that. "That's rather surprising, you hate the games..." he sniffed the air a little. "... When did you get a goat?"

KiBum flushed. "Uh…his name's SooHyun, his old owner was my roommate a year and a half ago… He was a complete jerk. So I bought SooHyun to get him away from the asshole." 

"Interesting... I'd ask how well you're getting along with him but I know the answer," YoungSaeng chuckled, leaning back on his hands and closing his eyes. "Do you care for him?"

"Of course I do," KiBum looked back at YoungSaeng. "I love him, and he loves me. I want to be able to free him, one day soon." 

YoungSaeng's smile was soft and he opened his eyes to look at KiBum. "Good. He's lucky to have you KiBum. And I can tell you're lucky to have him too... you've really grown up in the time you were gone. So mature, so handsome. I'm glad you came to see me."

Blushing a little, KiBum smiled back at YoungSaeng. "It's really good to see you again, hyung. I missed you a lot…I'm sorry I didn't come back to visit." 

"It's okay, I understand," YoungSaeng said. "You should probably go before KyuJong finds you up here."

"Probably," KiBum pouted. He leaned over to give YoungSaeng a hug. "I'll be back to visit again, though. And SooHyun wants to meet you too." 

"If you don't, I'm sure I'll see you at the tournament," YoungSaeng said, returning the hug. "I don't want you worrying about me though okay? YunHo does enough worrying for the whole world."

"You know I'm going to worry whether you say to or not," KiBum chuckled, pulling back and standing. "See you later, hyung." He headed to the door and left, closing it again behind him. He felt better after seeing YoungSaeng, though worry gnawed at him still. Whatever was happening in the Jung house, it wasn't good for any of them.

Taking his time heading down to the garden, KiBum looked around for SooHyun. 

Said goat was near one of the lines of flowering bushes, his head held in shame. KyuJong was with him and by the look on the goat's face, he was in trouble.

One of KyuJong's ears twitched when KiBum drew near, and the rabbit turned around. "Hi, KiBum."

"Hi? What's going on here?" KiBum asked, though from how he was trying not to smile, he had a suspicion he knew.

KyuJong gave a long-suffering sigh, pointing at one of the bushes that was obviously missing some of it's flower heads. "I _told_ you that if you wanted some flowers to eat, I could show you which ones were okay. Those were tropical, it took me forever to get them to grow here." 

Ears lowered, SooHyun shuffled anxiously as he looked between KyuJong and KiBum. "I'm sorry... they just smelled so good and I couldn't help myself. I didn't think you would notice one or two missing... I'm very sorry."

"I'm a wood element, of course I would notice," KyuJong sniffed. "All these bushes are off-limits. Next time you're hungry, ask." The rabbit turned to head back to the practice field.

As soon as the older man was out of earshot, KiBum started to laugh. 

SooHyun stared at KiBum, his expression hurt. "Why are you laughing at me? Are you laughing because I got into trouble?" he asked, taking a step back. "That's not very nice."

"No…it…it's just," KiBum snickered, wiping one eye. "I remember…the first day I bought you, I told you not to touch Kyu's garden and you told me you'd never do something without permission. This is probably the wrong time to say I'm proud of you, but I am." 

"..." SooHyun opened his mouth to reply, but his voice caught in his throat as he blinked at KiBum. Covering his head with his hands he made a frustrated whining noise and turned to run towards the house.

"SooHyun!" KiBum laughed louder at the goat's retreat, before jogging to catch up. Yes, he was very proud of SooHyun. Not for pissing KyuJong off by eating his precious tropical flowers, but for acting less like a wallflower slave and more like the silly goat KiBum had fallen in love with. 

*****************

As much as Zhou Mi wanted to stay at home over the month long break and roll around in the sheets some more with KyuHyu, there was some work that had to be done. There were only three days left before the opening day of the main tournament and there were several meetings Zhou Mi needed to be in on as well as some last minute paperwork he needed to sign. The three weeks he had off with KyuHyun was just what they needed though. Enough time to reconnect to one another and reaffirm their resolve to see this thing finished once and for all.

Since the fighters weren't due to arrive until the next day, Zhou Mi got the added benefit of having KyuHyun lounging around his office to ogle at while he pushed papers around his desk. Maybe later they could lock the door and find out just how sturdy the desk was. 

Going over the final list of fighters names, Zhou Mi frowned as he looked up at his snake on the couch. "KuiXian... who are monkey and dog with DongHae?" he asked.

"Hm?" KyuHyun cracked open one eye, having been dozing off. "With DongHae?" It took a moment for him to wake up enough to realize what Zhou Mi was talking about. "Oh, uh…that would be HyukJae from the Lee house, and SungMin from the Kim house. Monkey and dog respectively." 

"...SungMin?" Zhou Mi blinked at that, looking back down at the list. "That was... All this time and I didn't even realize. When the fighters get in, I'll want him brought to me."

"Why?" KyuHyun sat up, looking over at Zhou Mi with a frown. "Why would you want to see him?" 

"Do you remember me telling you about one of the slaves my father owned, a dog?" Zhou Mi said. "He was sold to the Kim house when he was barely a teen to be a fighter... but he was my friend. Much like KiBum is friends with KyuJong. I just want to be able to see him again is all."

"Oh…it was him?" KyuHyun blinked. "Okay…I'll get him up here, though it might look a little weird for you to summon a fighter randomly. How could he have belonged to your house and then sold to the Kims while barely a teen? Signs can't be bought from the breeding houses until we're fifteen years old." 

Zhou Mi's lips pursed slightly at that. "SungMin was born into our house... One of the fighters and one of the house slaves had a relationship. My father wasn't a breeder, and this was before training houses were banned from breeding anyway. My father wasn't really interested in selling any from the litter, but HyungJoon's father had taken an interest in SungMin."

KyuHyun leaned back against the couch, watching the human. "Are the rest of the litter still at your house? Were you friends with all of them?" 

"Two of them are still at the house, one fighter and one servant," Zhou Mi said, closing up the folder and setting his hands on top. "The rest were given away, when they reached legal age. When SungMin was sold, he didn't have the heart to part with any of the others until they were old enough. SungMin was the only one I spent any time with, he was the only one who would play with me."

"Oh," KyuHyun frowned. "But you had other friends too, human friends." 

"Not really, no," Zhou Mi shook his head, smiling sadly up at him. "I was the weird Chinese kid who was too tall and awkward. I mostly kept to myself growing up."

The snake's eyes lowered at that, before looking up at Zhou Mi again. "Well…their loss. They probably would have been sucky friends anyways." 

Zhou Mi chuckled a little at that, nodding in agreement. A knock came at the door, and when he looked up, his assistant was poking her head in. "Yes?"

"Excuse me, sir, but Master Jung is here... he made an appointment?" She said, making a face.

"...He did? Well, send him in," Zhou Mi said, looking to KyuHyun with a frown. "This should be interesting."

"I wouldn't call it interesting," KyuHyun murmured. "I didn't see anything about an appointment with the old fart, did you?" He stood up from the couch, taking up a place by the wall beside Zhou Mi's desk. 

"No, but I wasn't looking at my schedule closely," Zhou Mi said, straightening in his seat. "Try to remain calm, I would like this to go smoothly."

Master Jung was let in, the assistant closing the door behind him. He didn't look as angry as he had the last time he came through Zhou Mi's doors, but there was a hard set to his expression. "Commissioner," he nodded.

"Master Jung, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Zhou Mi said, forcing a smile.

"I need my fighting house returned to my control," Master Jung said, not bothering to take a seat. "My son is a criminal and the sooner he is gone the better."

"Excuse me?" Zhou Mi blinked, leaning back in his chair slightly. "And what exactly as he done that is criminal?"

"Theft of property," Master Jung grunted. "He has stolen my personal slave and refuses to return him to me."

KyuHyun bristled a little; he wouldn't blame YunHo for refusing to give any slave back to this man. And KyuHyun had heard from Zhou Mi how the last meeting with Master Jung had gone. Exhaling slowly and keeping his mouth shut, KyuHyun kept the quips about the old man sounding like a child who had been denied sweets to himself. 

"And in what part of that concerns me?" Zhou Mi said, folding his hands on his desk. "If your son has stolen from you, then why haven't you gone to the police?"

"I'll deal with my son in the way I feel like," Master Jung replied. "But the house _will_ be returned to me, Zhou Mi."

"This is a matter of your word against his," Zhou Mi said, proud of himself for keeping his tone even. "When he arrives for the tournament I will bring him in to ask his side of the story."

"Not good enough, I don't care if you want his side of the story," Master Jung snapped. "If my house is not returned to me by the end of the tournament Zhou Mi, you will pay for your interference."

"Was that a threat?" Zhou Mi's eyes narrowed.

"No, that was a promise," Master Jung hissed, leaning over the desk. "You are the biggest fool these games have ever seen, and if you don't do as your told, I'll find someone who will."

"Leave." That wasn't from Zhou Mi; that was from KyuHyun, sapphire eyes flashing as he stepped up beside the desk, closer to Master Jung. "Get out, now. Games Commissioner Zhou Mi has no reason to listen to your blackmail, and I _will_ call security for those threats." 

"Why is it every time I come into this office an _animal_ speaks to me?" Master Jung said, straightening and looking at KyuHyun. "You do not order me around, slave, on your knees!" Before Zhou Mi could respond, Master Jung raised his hand and backhanded the KyuHyun.

"Get out!" Zhou Mi roared, jumping to his feet. "How dare you come into my office and _touch_ my slave! Get out of my office now and the least I will do is ban you from the tournaments for life!"

Staggering, KyuHyun touched one hand to his mouth and saw he was bleeding; he'd bitten through his lip with one fang. A low, rattling hiss came from his throat, the snake looking up at Master Jung darkly. His fingers twitched, and for a dizzying moment he very nearly summoned his element to make sure the man would never bother them again. He controlled the urge, barely. But he didn't back down, chin lifted and icy eyes staring right back at the man who'd struck him. 

Master Jung sneered at KyuHyun as he took a step forward, as if daring the snake to do anything. "Don't test me snake, I know how to break your kind."

"Security!" Zhou Mi shouted, coming around the desk to step in between Master Jung and KyuHyun. "You are never to be allowed on tournament grounds as long as I am commissioner, and I will do everything in my power to make sure YunHo retains control of _his_ house," he seethed.

"We'll see about that," Master Jung replied, his cold eyes meeting Zhou Mi's for a fleeting moment before two security guards entered the room.

"Escort Master Jung off the property, see to it he is never let in again," Zhou Mi said. The two guards complied, taking Master Jung by the arms and leading him from the room. As soon as the door was closed, Zhou Mi turned to KyuHyun, eyes wide as he lifted a hand to the snake's face. "Are you okay?"

KyuHyun tried to wipe away the blood that was beginning to drip. "Would have felt better if I hit him back," the snake grumbled, the rattle still in his throat. "I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have done that." 

"Probably not but I don't care," Zhou Mi said, shaking his head. "You gave me the perfect opportunity to have that man out of my hair completely. I don't want you holding back from saying anything ever again, understand? I don't care anymore."

"You sure? That could be dangerous," KyuHyun met Zhou Mi's eyes. "Especially if that idiot manages to worm his way back in somehow." 

"He's not allowed to hit you, KuiXian," Zhou Mi said, his hand resting against KyuHyun's cheek. "If he does... you have the right to defend yourself. You are _my_ slave, and only I get to tell you what you can or can't do. Well... you know what I mean... I don't think of you as such but for all intents and purposes anyways."

"I know," KyuHyun smirked slightly. "I just wasn't gonna stand there and let him threaten you like that…you're my boyfriend, even if no one else knows it. No one threatens you and gets away with it." 

"And I appreciate that," Zhou Mi chuckled, a hand at KyuHyun's waist pulling him a little closer. "And no one hits _my_ boyfriend and calls him an animal. What do you say we finish up here and go home early?"

"Sounds good to me," KyuHyun smiled, wrapping his arms around Zhou Mi possessively and leaning up for a kiss. "You have much more to go through?" 

"Not really, no," Zhou Mi said, returning the kiss lightly. "If I spend any more time behind that desk I think about you pinning me to it. Makes getting things done difficult. I'll just get some files together to take home so I can get last minute things done, that way we don't have to come back until the morning of the tournament. Sound good?"

"Mhm," KyuHyun chuckled. "Unless you really wanna try that pinning to the desk idea, that could be fun." He nipped Zhou Mi's lower lip lightly with his fangs, fingers hooking into the belt loops of the other man's pants. 

"...You are very bad for my concentration," Zhou Mi replied, hissing slightly. "Go lock the door, I'll finish clearing off my desk. Don't want to ruin any important paperwork."

"Yes sir," KyuHyun smirked, kissing Zhou Mi deeply first. Only when Zhou Mi had no breath left did he let the older man go. He walked to the door, locking it. 

"Since when do you call me sir?" Zhou Mi chuckled, stacking up folders and placing them on a side table.

"Since I feel like it?" KyuHyun looked back at Zhou Mi, walking slowly back to the desk. "Don't pretend you don't like ordering me around a little." 

Zhou Mi leaned over the desk, hands braced on the dark wood. "Not as much as I like asking you to do things. You can't tell me after all this time you actually like me ordering you around."

"That depends." KyuHyun walked around the desk, circling his arms around the human's waist. "On whether you're ordering me around as my master, or as my boyfriend." 

"The last time I ordered you as a master, I almost lost you," Zhou Mi said, closing his eyes and breathing out slowly. "I'll never do that again." His lips quirked slightly and he looked over his shoulder at KyuHyun. "I like ordering you around as a boyfriend... which means you can order me around too you know."

KyuHyun chuckled, leaning against Zhou Mi to kiss the corner of his mouth. "I do order you around…sometimes. It's a hard mindset to get out of, but I'm getting there." 

"I know, for you and me both," Zhou Mi replied, leaning back and resting his hands on top of KyuHyun's at his waist. "So... what is it you want me to do?"

"Turn around so I can kiss you properly, for one," KyuHyun smirked, pressing a kiss to the side of Zhou Mi's neck. "Should we find out how strong the desk is?" 

"I don't know, you tell me," Zhou Mi said, turning around in KyuHyun's embrace, his arms going around his neck. "You tell me what you want us to do."

"All right," the snake chuckled, pulling Zhou Mi into a deep kiss. He didn't want the last thing on their minds as they left the office to be Master Jung coming in and threatening Zhou Mi. They'd have to discuss the threat the man posed at some point, probably with Han Geng present. But right now KyuHyun was going to keep Zhou Mi thoroughly distracted; the only things they had to worry about were too many clothes and the desk potentially breaking.


	3. Chapter 3

Riding on an airship for the first time, SooHyun was glad the attention wasn't on him for once. He may not have been as scared of flying as KyuJong, but he was by no means happy about being off the ground. It was good there were several other people to help keep him distracted, most of them he didn't know or been introduced to. 

It was the first time he'd met the rooster and rat, two of YunHo's slaves. He'd met YunHo before at KiBum's party, and YoungSaeng who was burrowed into the older human's side he'd met a few days before when the snake was still being kept hidden. The strong scent of YunHo wasn't on the snake before though, and SooHyun's lips quirked as he whispered it to KiBum. He didn't even mind the ear tweek, chuckling at how red KiBum got.

Sleeping through most of the trip, SooHyun was disoriented when they finally disembarked from the airship and into a mass of people. Cameras flashed in his eyes and he kept a tight grip on KiBum's hand so they weren't seperated. When they finally they reached the hotel and got past security, YunHo was speaking to HyungJoon again, SooHyun barely paying attention as he looked around. "You're checking KyuJong in later, HyungJoon?" 

"First thing in the morning, he doesn't need to be checked in till then," HyungJoon replied. "We'll probably order some room service, can't risk going down to the restaurant, he'll get recognized. What are your plans for the night?"

"I think more sleep," YunHo chuckled. "Just relaxing I suppose." They hadn't been able to much of that lately.

"Can we look around a bit?" KiBum looked at HyungJoon, one eyebrow raised. He had no idea what he and SooHyun were going to do while waiting for the tournament (and protests) to start, but he knew he had to at least figure out where everything was.

"Of course, just try not to get cornered by a reporter or anything," HyungJoon replied, frowning. "And stay out of trouble, if you can avoid it."

"Yes sir," KiBum wrinkled his nose, stepping out of the lift as it opened. They all split up, KiBum finding his and SooHyun's room and unlocking it. "Well, here's home for the next couple weeks," he sighed, placing his bag down to unpack. 

"It's nice," SooHyun said, helping KiBum unpack his things. "When the tournament is over... are we going back to the manor?"

"I don't know, probably," KiBum nodded, chewing on his lower lip. "I'm thinking we could spend the rest of the summer with hyung and KyuJong, then head back to the city. I need that job in senate while I'm working out how to get into a law firm. How does that sound? I know you like being surrounded by all those trees and fresh air." 

"It's very nice, I like it there," SooHyun nodded. "I'm just concerned... if the commissioner's plan goes like he says it does... what is that going to do to HyungJoon?"

"…I don't know," KiBum sighed quietly, looking down at his bag. "I doubt the tournaments will end so quickly…it'll give some time for us to figure out what to do, together. I know he doesn't like working in this industry." 

"For everyone's sake, I hope things go well," SooHyun nodded, smiling sadly at him. A knock at the door interrupted their conversation, SooHyun going to the door to open it. A hotel worker bowed politely, handing him a note which he in turn passed to KiBum.

"Uh…thank you," KiBum blinked, watching the hotel worker leave. He sat down on the edge of the bed, breaking the seal and unfolding the letter.

His brow furrowed slightly as he read, and he looked up at SooHyun. "Zhou Mi knows we're here, he's asking to meet as soon as possible." 

"In his office?" SooHyun asked, finishing up putting KiBum's things away. "I wonder what he wants."

"No idea," KiBum shook his head. Standing, he turned to help SooHyun in getting both their stuff into drawers. "We'll finish unpacking and go see him…then maybe find somewhere to eat. I don't know about you, but I'm starving." 

"Yes, we haven't had lunch yet," SooHyun nodded. It didn't take long before they had all their things put away, luggage shoved into a closet. SooHyun had his shoes on and waited for KiBum at the door.

Pushing his feet back into his shoes, KiBum stopped beside SooHyun and smiled at the goat. "How are you feeling? That crowd was a little much before, wasn't it." He took SooHyun's hand lightly. 

"It was fine, no need to worry," SooHyun said, returning the smile a little.

"You know I'm gonna worry anyways," KiBum chuckled, leaning in to kiss him. "We'll find all the back ways in and out of this place so we don't have to deal with that all the time, okay?" 

"I'll be fine, you don't need to do anything special for me," SooHyun said, looking down at their hands. "We should go."

"We should," KiBum sighed, lips pursed in a small pout. "And everything I do is for you." He opened the door, stepping out into the hallway. He didn't let go of SooHyun's hand as he locked the door and headed down the hallway, swinging their arms slightly. 

SooHyun didn't respond, following KiBum to the lift. He was quiet as they descended, and when the lift reached the ground floor he pulled his hand out of KiBum's before the gates opened. The lobby was still full of people, most ly house masters and their servants. SooHyun avoided making eye contact with anyone, following KiBum along to the doors.

KiBum looked back at SooHyun, eyes tightening in worry. He couldn't ask what was wrong now though; the goat probably wouldn't answer him with this many people around. But he made a mental note to ask later, when SooHyun wouldn't be able to avoid him as easily.

They made their way towards the bus lots on the other side of the colosseum. On their way there, they passed through a crowd of protestors. Thankfully, no one present recognized KiBum. He was sure he'd be helping out at some point, but considering how easily the Kim brothers were mistaken for each other, he didn't want someone who knew him as a part of the club approaching HyungJoon.

It was a quiet ride on the bus downtown, SooHyun responding very little to what KiBum was saying. Giving up halfway there, KiBum closed his eyes and rested for the remainder of the trip. Once downtown, it was another subway ride to Zhou Mi's apartment.

Taking the lift up the apartment building, KiBum stepped out and looked from door to door, trying to remember which one was Zhou Mi's. Finding it, he exhaled slowly and knocked. 

The door opened a moment later, Zhou Mi on the other side. "KiBum, thank you for coming on such short notice," he said, nodding to them both before stepping aside. "I hope I didn't pull you away from anything? How is your brother?"

"He's doing well," KiBum replied, stepping into the apartment. "How was your month break?" He saw KyuHyun stretched out on one of the couches, the snake waving lazily. 

"Restfull," Zhou Mi chuckled, closing the door when SooHyun stepped in. "Until two days ago that is. Please sit, I have some... things I want to discuss with you."

"That doesn't sound good." KiBum's brow furrowed slightly, and he slipped off his shoes before heading to the couch KyuHyun wasn't occupying. "What's going on?" 

"I'll just get right to the point," Zhou Mi said with a sigh, sitting down on a part of the couch KyuHyun wasn't occupying. "Master Jung came to see me a couple of days ago, and asked me... well no, rather _told_ me to do something I wasn't going to do. He threatened me and my position as games commissioner. Normally, I would ignore such talk but you know as well as I that Master Jung does not make idle threats."

KiBum's eyes widened slightly. "No, he doesn't. What was he threatening?"

"Apparently his son's keeping property from him, so he wants YunHo marked as a criminal and his house given back to him," KyuHyun said, shifting his legs to give Zhou Mi more room.

"…" It didn't take long to figure out what 'property' YunHo was keeping from his father. KiBum struggled to control his anger. "Why am I not surprised…but why are you telling me this? I try to talk Master Jung down and he'll squash me like a bug." 

"I would never _ever_ suggest you go against him yourself," Zhou Mi said, shaking his head. "I am telling you because if he makes good on his threat, I will lose my position as commissioner. If that happens, I make no guarantees the revolt we have planned will go as we have planned. He could very well try to have me killed, so I may need some place to hide. This may be a lot to ask of you, but anyone I am connected with at this time would be suspect. I can't stay with Han Geng as that would be the first place they look. I may need you to hide me for a short time."

KiBum chewed on his lower lip, trying to wrap his head around that. He'd known that this could turn out potentially dangerous, but the reality of it only hit him now. Zhou Mi was worried for his life. He glanced at KyuHyun, who had sat up and rested his hand lightly on Zhou Mi's knee, silent support.

The hotel was out; that was nowhere near safe. But…there was the apartment he and SooHyun shared with Kevin. KiBum himself would be staying at the hotel, there would be room. But wouldn't that condemn Kevin too?

"SooHyun and I share an apartment here in the city with Kevin, the leader of our club," he said after a long moment. "I'd…I'd have to ask Kevin. I don't want him to be in danger too." 

"And I would understand if he said no," Zhou Mi said, nodding. "Thank you KiBum. This is a worst case scenario... getting me ousted from my position would require a lot of leverage against the shareholders and I don't know if Master Jung is capable of that yet. But I wouldn't put it past him. After you leave here, we won't have any face to face meetings again. If I have any mesages to give to you, I'll find a way to get them to you through others. No one can know we've spoken. My assistants won't say you've been to see me, and neither will Geng. If Master Jung doesn't know already, then he probably never will unless you or SooHyun slip up. Understand?"

"Understand," KiBum nodded, glancing at SooHyun. "We won't." He leaned back against the couch, reeling a little. "This is worth it, though," he said quietly, looking up at Zhou Mi. "Right?" As dangerous as it was, for all of them, he needed to keep thinking about that end goal. Or else he'd fall into panic, and he couldn't afford that right now. 

"It's the most important thing any of us will ever do in our lives," Zhou Mi said. "Believe me, I've had to have someone remind me of that every step of the way as well." His hand found KyuHyun's beside him, and he glanced at the snake with a smile.

KiBum watched them, and the smile KyuHyun gave Zhou Mi in return. He exhaled slowly and nodded. "Right…okay, I'll talk to Kevin about this. He knows not to say anything about it to anyone." 

"If I thought it would be reasonable not to tell him the details of what's going on, I would... but he deserves the right to know," Zhou Mi said, leaning against the back of the couch. "Thank you KiBum... I don't think you even know how much of this wouldn't be possible without you."

KiBum's lips quirked slightly. "You would have found a way." He stood up. "We'll take our leave then…see you after all this is over, hopefully." 

"Yeah... thank you again," Zhou Mi said, getting up to show them out. When the door was closed behind them, he returned to the couch and flopped down, looking at KyuHyun. "I should talk to Geng.. see where he's at with those laws. As much as I dislike it, I hope this little mission of his to get me ousted has him distracted from senate duties."

"I'd hope so, but wouldn't count on it, he's good at getting underfoot in every way possible," KyuHyun wrinkled his nose. "If you were to be ousted as commissioner, what would I do?" 

Zhou Mi sighed, closing his eyes. "Worst case scenario, you'd be in hiding with me. Otherwise you'd stay right where you are as announcer and referee. You're just as important as any fighter and Master Jung isn't stupid enough to take away anything from the games that the people like."

KyuHyun frowned, looking down at his hands. "But if I stay as referee, and try to go back to where you are at the end of the day, I could be followed. If he's trying to kill you…I'll have to stay away." 

"You will... you may have to stay with Geng and HeeChul," Zhou Mi said. "At that point, Geng would be able to protect you better than I could and you would not be safe staying at the collosseum."

"Don't worry about me, worry about yourself," KyuHyun nudged Zhou Mi's side. "I can protect myself if it came down to it." 

Zhou Mi's lips quirked a little and he looked over at KyuHyun. "I'll always worry about you first. That's not going to change. If something were to happen to me, then I'll have you down... I can't bear the thought of that."

"Nothing's going to happen to you, so we'll both be fine." KyuHyun curled his fingers into Zhou Mi's collar, pressing a kiss to his lips. "We should probably tell Geng and HeeChul about all this though." 

"We should, he's been so busy I haven't seen him in a while," Zhou Mi said, humming a little int othe kiss. "Better get up before we get distracted."

"Oh fine," KyuHyun mumbled, breaking the kiss after a moment to stand. He helped Zhou Mi to his feet, heading to the door to get his shoes. "If they're even there, if not we're coming back to continue that distraction." 

"I had a feeling we would anyway," Zhou Mi chuckled, following after him. Finding and getting his shoes on, he opened the door to let KyuHyun go out first, closing it behind them. When they reached Han Geng's door, he knocked, looking to KyuHyun. "I'm curious as to how HeeChul's been handling him being gone all the time."

KyuHyun wrinkled his nose slightly, but didn't have time to reply before the door unlocked and Han Geng pulled it open. "Oh, hi," he blinked, smiling lightly at them before stepping aside to let them in. "What brings you to this side of the hallway?" 

"We haven't seen you in a while," Zhou Mi said, stepping in. He saw HeeChul lounging on the couch, though by his expression he was not pleased with the interruption. "There have been some... developments you need to be made aware of."

"…Every time you come here to say that, I get the shivers," Han Geng shook his head, closing the door after them. He headed back to sit down next to HeeChul.

Once Zhou Mi and KyuHyun had made their way over to sit down, he looked at them curiously. "Well, what developments are these?" 

"Master Jung came by my office," Zhou Mi started, and that had HeeChul's attention right away. "He ordered me to turn over the house back to him and that YunHo was keeping property from him and was a criminal. When I refused, he threatened to have me ousted and commissioner and then struck KyuHyun."

Han Geng's eyes slowly grew at the new information. "…And that man doesn't make idle threats," he murmured, leaning back in the seat and looking at HeeChul beside him. He returned his gaze to Zhou Mi. "I can try keeping him distracted from you, but you know that might not work. He's very…determined." 

"That's not what I'm here for," Zhou Mi shook his head. "In fact I would rather he be focused on me right now and not what you're doing. If he has to take time away from the senate to get me out of his way then so be it, all the better that he isn't blocking your bill from being passed."

"But that could be dangerous for you," Han Geng replied, eyes worried. "Master Jung doesn't stop at anything, and your authority poses a serious threat to him right now." 

"What matters the most is getting that bill passed," Zhou Mi said. "I would forfeit my life if that's what it took. I have tenative plans in place for my safety if he succeeds in ousting me. But I'm here because I want KuiXian to stay where he is and continue in the tournament. He won't be able to come with me if I go into hiding, so I'm here to ask that you'll look after him and keep him safe when I'm not able to."

"Of…of course I'll keep him safe," Han Geng nodded. "Be very careful, Mi…Your safety is important too, and I'll do anything it takes to keep you safe as well. I'm guessing you'll want me to stay away if you're ousted as well." 

"Yes, if Master Jung has any suspicion that you know where I am... you focus on what you need to do," Zhou Mi said. "I can take care of myself. Thank you Geng, I am indebted to you for life I think at this point."

"No, you're not," Han Geng shook his head, smiling at the other Chinese man. "We're friends. If there is anything you need me to do, anything at all, just ask." 

"I'm not sure what's left, you can't fight my battles for me," Zhou Mi said, returning the smile. "But how about, since this is a rare moment in which we're home at the same time, how about some dinner? Maybe some wine?"

"That sounds good," Han Geng nodded. "I just picked up some good wine too," his smile was a little sad; this could be the last time in a long, long while they just relaxed and ate dinner together. "What should we have?" he asked, resting a hand lightly on HeeChul's knee. 

"Fried rice," HeeChul said, arms crossed and pouting a little. 

"Oh... we interrupted something didn't we? I'm sorry HeeChul, you were probably looking forward to some time alone," Zhou Mi said. "Maybe we can do this another time then Geng..."

"I think now's a good time," Han Geng shook his head, looking at HeeChul. "With all these…new developments, when's the next time we'll be all together like this?" 

"I wasn't the one who suggested them leaving," HeeChul sniffed. "Just go make your rice Geng. I'm still getting the dinner I wanted tonight."

"That sounds fine, HeeChul," Zhou Mi chuckled a little. "Do you need any help Geng?"

"I know how to cook fried rice, but if you want to add to the menu, I won't say no," Han Geng smiled, standing and heading to the kitchen.

"Make those specialty rolled omelets of yours," KyuHyun nudged Zhou Mi's side. Cooking would keep Zhou Mi from thinking too much about other things, things they could do nothing about but wait. 

"Hm? Oh, I could do that," Zhou Mi nodded, grinning at KyuHyun as he leaned over to give him a kiss. "I'll make a special one just for me," he murmured against his lips as he got to his feet. Following Han Geng into the kitchen, Zhou Mi glanced back at KyuHyun again, smiling softly at the snake. Hopefully all this planning would be for nothing, and whatever plan Master Jung had in mind blew up in the asshole's face. But it made Zhou Mi feel better that at least KyuHyun would be safe. That was most important.

*****************************************33

Sleep didn't come easily to KiBum that night, mind racing well into the early hours of the morning as he thought about what Zhou Mi had told him and how that would affect everything. Now more than ever, he had to watch his step. Not only for him and SooHyun, but for HyungJoon too. HyungJoon who KiBum wanted so badly to tell what was going on to, but he knew there was no way his brother would understand. And HyungJoon had more than enough to worry about just then, with a whole house to manage and KyuJong right in the middle of the tournament.

It seemed like he'd just drifted off when the horn announcing the start of the tournament day blew outside. Jolting awake, KiBum made an unhappy noise in his throat and buried his face back against SooHyun's bare shoulder. 

SooHyun's eyes opened slowly, one ear flickering. "Time to get up sir," he murmured, voice raspy as he slid out of bed. Padding over to the window, he opened the curtains to let the morning light in.

"Not 'sir'," KiBum mumbled into the pillow he'd buried his face in unhappily when SooHyun moved away. He settled into the warm hollow the goat had left behind, closing his eyes against the sudden light. 

"It's still time to get up," SooHyun said, yawning into his hand as he came back over to the bed. "Your brother wants us there first thing for the opening, we can't be late."

"I know," KiBum murmured. He tried for a moment longer to go back to sleep before giving up, sitting up with a groan. His hair stuck up every which way as he rubbed his eyes. "I…need to talk to Kevin first though, he said he'd be outside before the start of the tournament." 

"Is that wise?" SooHyun asked, opening one of KiBum's drawers and pulling out clothes for him. "Is he going to meet you somewhere not on the street?"

"Yeah, he's not gonna meet me where the protestors are gathering," KiBum nodded. "I have to talk to him about what Zhou Mi said yesterday…it's too important. I can get my own clothes SooHyun, take care of yourself," he stood, walking to where the goat was. 

"Handing you clothes to wear is not a subservient thing," SooHyun said, eyes tightening slightly as he moved away from the dresser and sat down in a chair. "I'll wait here for you."

Still trying to wake up, it took KiBum a moment to realize something was wrong. "…What is it, SooHyun?" he frowned, turning back to the goat. "What's wrong? You were acting strange all yesterday too." 

SooHyun closed his eyes, breathing in slowly before he looked at KiBum. "I don't like it here. There's too many people and too many humans who give me disdainful looks. I was used to it, I was fine with it until you. You and your brother and every treats me so nicely and like I'm one of you that I _hate_ the way people look at me on the street."

Eyes tightening, KiBum stepped over to SooHyun. "I'm sorry…I wish I could punch every single person who looks at you like that in the face. We're just here for the tournament, then we'll go back to the manor for the rest of the summer okay? And you know that bill Han Geng's trying to get passed in senate…that'll make it so Signs _are_ equal to humans. And no one will be able to look at you like that ever, ever again." 

"But they will," SooHyun said. "A law doesn't change how people view Signs. To them, I will always be less than. It's not going to change KiBum... and sometimes I wish I could go back to think that it was okay."

KiBum stopped, shoulders slumping slightly. Did that mean…SooHyun regretted meeting him? By buying SooHyun from JaeSoo, had he messed up someone else's life after all? "I'm sorry," he said quietly, because that was all he could say. It was entirely his fault that SooHyun was in pain right now. "Maybe…you'd be more comfortable staying in here today." 

"Your brother will wonder where I am," SooHyun said, getting back up to his feet slowly. "We should hurry, or we will be late if we have to see Kevin first."

Nodding mutely, KiBum looked down at his hands before turning to change. He didn't say anything else as he pulled his clothes on and headed into the washroom to brush his teeth and hair.

By the time he came back, he'd managed to compose himself again. It was going to be a long day. Grabbing his shoes, he sat down on the edge of the bed to pull them on. 

SooHyun was dressed and ready to go, waiting for KiBum at the door. They left the room, SooHyun trailing behind the whole way through the hotel and out onto the street. Avoiding the protestors, they entered a small cafe a few blocks away where Kevin was waiting for them.

"Hey, got your message," Kevin said, glancing around warily. "Everything okay?"

"Not really," KiBum frowned, sliding into the booth in the far corner of the cafe. He was glad to see there were very few people around, no one close enough to listen in to their conversation. "I met with Zhou Mi yesterday," he said quietly, talking in english just in case. His english skills were a little rusty without Henry around to practice with, but he could still speak it. "Someone's trying to get him ousted from his position. It's bad enough that he's worried for his life…and he asked if it comes down to it, if we could hide him." 

"...Wait, what, say that again?" Kevin blinked repeatedly at him. "The commissioner is being threatened, and you want _me_ to hide him? Who's threatening him?"

"Master Jung," KiBum replied, keeping his voice low. "That's how I know it's serious, that man is dangerous. I haven't told Zhou Mi yes or no yet." 

"... Just based on what I've heard from you about that guy I don't want to be within the same city as him," Kevin said, shuddering at that. "I just can't believe the commissioner is scared enough to consider going into hiding... it must be really bad." He sat back in his chair, chewing on his lip. "But if it weren't for him, there wouldn't even be a club right now... You tell him if he needs to, then it's okay."

"You're positive about this, Kev?" KiBum asked, leaning forward. "You know that if you hide him, you'll be in danger too." He didn't want any more people to be in danger from this, but what other choices were there?" 

"I'm already in danger, you know how many death threats I get?" Kevin said. "I'm pretty sure at least a couple of those came from Master Jung's office. I'm positive KiBum. The commissioner is the best thing that's happened to this country, and I'll help keep him safe. It's the least I can do."

"…You didn't tell me you were getting death threats," KiBum swallowed, leaning back. "Be careful, Kevin. I'll be doing what I can, but all I need is one person thinking HyungJoon is me, and then I don't even know what will happen." 

"Then stay away from the protests," Kevin said. "I know you want to be there to support us, I mean this was _your_ cause. I only joined because of you. But so few people know that, and I'll gladly take the death threats as long as you and brother aren't connected to it."

"You shouldn't have to take any sort of death threats," KiBum frowned. "Promise me you'll be careful. Don't go anywhere alone." 

"I'll be careful, and I don't go anywhere alone anymore..." Kevin said, glancing over his shoulder to another table where a young man was sitting by himself. "Don't worry about me, you worry about yourself and your brother. We'll be fine," he said when he'd turned back to KiBum.

Following Kevin's gaze, KiBum looked back at his friend and nodded with a small smile. "Okay…I'll be around the tournament grounds if anything comes up, here's my room number." He slid a piece of paper across the table to Kevin, with the hotel and room number on it. "You can reach me there." 

Taking the paper, Kevin slipped it into his pocket. "And tell the commissioner he's welcome any time. Try to get a hold of me and at least give me a little warning if things go topsy turvy."

"I'll do my best," KiBum nodded, glancing at his watch. Well, he was going to be late. "I need to go, the first match would have already started," he sighed, standing again. 

"Keep your chin up, it could be a lot worse right now," Kevin said, offering him a small smile. "And you know where to find me if you need a break. You still have a key to the apartment?"

"Yeah," KiBum smiled tightly in return. "Thanks. See you around." He turned and headed out of the café, glancing behind him to make sure SooHyun was still following. The goat's silence bothered him, and he wanted to drop back to walk beside him and hold his hand, but he knew SooHyun would just pull away again.

Even hurrying back to the colosseum, he could tell from the cheers inside the large structure that the matches were underway. It took a minute to figure out what box he was supposed to meet his brother in. He finally located it as KyuHyun's voice rang out over the arena, announcing a winning team.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, stepping into the box. His brother, KyuJong, YunHo and YoungSaeng were there. "We lost track of time. The first round just finished?" 

"Yes, it was a good match too," HyungJoon said, glancing back at his brother. "Where were you? We went by your room before we left and you weren't there."

"Anyone want a drink?" SooHyun asked, looking to YunHo and YoungSaeng first, fidgeting with his hands. He knew with the talk he and KiBum had had earlier KiBum would not be in a good mood to deal with his brother. They really couldn't afford another argument right now.

"We were just looking around," KiBum rolled his eyes, going to look over the railing. He looked over the arena down below. "Never attended a tournament before, remember?" He heard YunHo reply to SooHyun behind him. "Any of ours in the match?"

"Yes, the horse and ox, and they won," HyungJoon said, their eyes meeting when KiBum turned around before the older brother looked away. "If you've never been to a tournament before, you could have at least come to the start of the games, or don't bother showing up at all."

"I missed _one_ match hyung, considering how many there are I don't think I'm missing anything I won't see again before the tournament is over." KiBum knew he should be working harder to keep the bite out of his voice, but between worrying about Zhou Mi and Kevin, guilt over SooHyun's pain, and the lack of sleep, he wasn't in a very diplomatic mood. He sat down in an empty chair, arms folded across his chest. 

"It's the principle of the matter," HyungJoon said. "Your house fights, you sit and watch, and that includes listening to the opening ceremonies."

SooHyun finished getting the drink tray ready, bringing it around to those that had asked. The snake, YoungSaeng, gave him a supportive smile which SooHyun was a little grateful for. It was going to be a long afternoon if this kept up and KiBum would be in an even worse mood when they went back to the hotel. If only he hadn't started the human's day off so poorly he probably wouldn't be fighting with HyungJoon so earnestly.

"Okay, sure, next time there's a tournament I'll happily show up on time to watch people I consider friends be beaten up for a sport," KiBum ground out through his teeth

"I don't care if you consider them friends or not," HyungJoon said, taking a drink from SooHyun and sipping at it lightly. "You at least need to respect what they've done for _you_. They fought to put _you_ through school, and if you respected them half as much as you claim to, you wouldn't snub your nose at what they do."

KiBum was cut off from replying by YunHo, the older man sounding tired. "Both of you, enough. We don't need a fight here. He showed up late, and he apologized, let's move on. They're going to start the next match soon."

KiBum slumped in his seat a little, looking at the wall and seething quietly. RyeoWook came in a second later, and YunHo left to talk with him in the hallway. The silence continued in the box, neither brother talking or looking at each other. KyuJong looked highly uncomfortable stuck between them.

Thankfully, the next match started soon, KyuHyun announcing the teams. KiBum reluctantly turned his attention to the arena to watch, fingers curling into fists in his lap as he watched Signs fight down below. How could people _enjoy_ watching this? It made him feel sick.

Down below, an ox was taking out half those on the field, charging after even his own teammates. Anyone who got in his way was in danger of being impaled on his sharp horns…but that didn't seem to stop a dog fighter from getting directly in the ox's path.

Without warning, the ox crashed to the ground and skidded to a stop by the dog's feet. Looking up at the large monitors to see what had happened, KiBum regretted it. The color left his face as he stared at the metal needles piercing the ox's face and neck like a pincushion, the fighter bleeding from dozens of points and dead.

"That wasn't necessary," KiBum heard HyungJoon speak beside him. "The ox didn't need to die like that, he wasn't even rampaging."

"He was going after a teammate, guess the dog did find it necessary," YunHo replied.

They weren't even really upset. That ox was just a fighter to them; a Sign fated to fight in the arena until he died. KiBum stood up; he had to leave. "I'll be back before the next match, _hyung_. Come on SooHyun, let's get some fresh air." He turned and walked out, not even waiting for the goat to acknowledge his words. 

Sighing inwardy, SooHyun bowed to the two masters before following KiBum out. It was going to be a very long day. The walk back to the hotel was quiet, SooHyun trying to catch a glimpse of Kevin in the crowd of protestors as they passed. It was hard to miss him, the blond kid with a megaphone standing on a pedestal and leading a chant. If anyone had been a good pick to take on the responsibilities of running the club, it was Kevin. Lips quirking a little, SooHyun ducked his head to keep his eyes on KiBum's shoes as they passed into the hotel lobby and to the elevator. He opened the gate for KiBum, pressing the button for their floor. "Would you like me to get us something to eat?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

"I'm not hungry," was KiBum's reply, shoulders stiff and expression clouded. "Get something for yourself if you are." He stepped off the elevator when they reached their floor, heading to their room. He'd have to get back down to the colosseum for the next match, or risk HyungJoon's wrath, but he needed a breather. And he'd only gone through one match so far; there was still a whole day ahead. 

"But you haven't eaten yet today," SooHyun said, frowning. When they were in the room and the door was closed behind them, SooHyun took KiBum by the arm and pulled him around to face him. "KiBum... I want to apologize for what I said earlier. You have more than enough things to worry about, I don't want you worrying about me too."

"I told you, I'll always worry about you," KiBum pulled his arm out of SooHyun's grip, not looking up at the goat. "There's no reason for you to apologize, it's all my fault you have to go through this, I shouldn't have… I don't know. You don't have to go back down there with me, I'll make up something if HyungJoon asks." 

"Shouldn't have what?" SooHyun's brow furrowed at the unfinished thought. "I don't blame you for anything that has happened KiBum... I am very grateful for everything you've done for me."

"You shouldn't be," KiBum turned away from the older man, walking to the window. "You should hate me for putting you through all this." 

"I could never hate you," SooHyun said, deflating a little. "You saved me KiBum... who knows what would have happened to me if I had stayed with JaeSoo. You don't know the things he did to me, let others do to me. It's taken me so long to realize how much better off I am with you... what I said this morning was frustration."

"It was frustration, but it was also true." Leaning against the windowsill, KiBum's laugh was shaky and strained. "You know…back when I first bought you, I planned to send you to stay with Henry in Canada. I've been there many times…you wouldn't have to worry about those kinds of looks, or not being protected, ever. Henry said his family would look after you. You could go to school, learn English, get a real paying job. But then I started liking you, and I was selfish, and never followed through. I wanted to keep you here with me, even knowing it would hurt you." Tears fell onto the windowsill. "I should have followed through." 

SooHyun walked slowly over to where KiBum was standing, touching a hand to his back. "I wouldn't have gone," he said softly. "Or I wouldn't have wanted to go. You would have given me the choice and I would have said no, because I wanted to stay with you. I'm happy with you, especially when it's just you and me and I can forget for just a little while that I'm a dirty, smelly goat."

"You're not a dirty, smelly goat," KiBum whispered, shoulders shaking. "You're a special, unique person, and I'm so, so sorry." 

"Sorry for what? Saving me?" SooHyun replied. "If I'm special and unique it's because you let me be. Don't you ever apologize for that. I will never be able to thank you enough for showing that to me."

KiBum slowly turned around to face SooHyun, the stress and helplessness showing in his eyes. "I don't want you to be hurt by anything…but even when I'm trying to protect you, I'm hurting you." He smoothed out the edges of SooHyun's shirt with his fingers. 

"No, you're not," SooHyun shook his head, lifting his hands t orest on KiBum's waist. "It's the people out there who look at me funny that hurt me. I do sometimes wish it wouldn't bother me, but that doesn't mean I think it's your fault."

Arms circling around the other man, KiBum pulled him into a tight embrace, resting his cheek against SooHyun's shoulder. "You mean so much to me…I just want to keep you safe and happy," he whispered. 

"You do," SooHyun murmured, pressing his nose into KiBum's hair and closing his eyes. "I'm so happy to be with you KiBum... I love you so much."

"I love you too," KiBum tried to relax, eyes closing as well. For a long minute he just held onto SooHyun, letting the goat's presence calm him. "I'm sorry…I think everything's getting to me." 

"I know... and I'm sorry I haven't been more supportive," SooHyun said, pulling back a little to look down at him. "We'll get through this together, and I'm not leaving your side for anything, I promise."

"I don't think I'd be able to make it through this without you." KiBum reached up and cupped SooHyun's cheek lightly, drawing the goat into a soft kiss. 

SooHyun returned the kiss a little more firmly, his hands tightening on KiBum's waist. "And I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for you... I may still be just a silly goat, but I know now I can be more."

"You can," KiBum whispered against SooHyun's lips. "You can be anything you want to be. You're not 'just' a silly goat…but you are _my_ silly goat." 

"Even better," SooHyun chuckled at that. "Do you want to rejoin your brother today or wait a while?"

"I'm already in enough trouble with him for one day," KiBum sighed quietly, not looking forward to going back there. He didn't know how much death he'd be able to take, and didn't know what he'd do if one of his friends were injured or worse. "We better go." 

Nodding, SooHyun gave him another kiss efore pulling back. "Maybe... maybe if you told him what's happening, he'll understand? Maybe he'll even help... Could ease your burden a little."

KiBum shook his head, looking down. "You know he wouldn't understand…He and YunHo might treat fighters better than others in this business, but they're still fighting house masters." 

"Maybe you can convince him to... retire? You've said he doesn't seem happy about doing it," SooHyun said. "It's worth a try maybe?"

"Maybe…maybe I can talk to him after the tournament." KiBum's eyes closed. "There's no point in bringing it up here, he won't listen to anything I have to say. After the tournament…I'll give it a try." 

"Okay..." SooHyun nodded, taking KiBum's hand. "Let's go, maybe we can get something to eat while we're there to help distract you from watching?"

"Maybe, yeah." KiBum looked down at their hands, curling his fingers around SooHyun's. "Stay beside me?" 

"If that's what you want," SooHyun said with a small smile. "You're not worried about being seen holding a slave's hand?"

"No," KiBum shook his head, looking back up at SooHyun to return the smile. "You mean too much to me, I'm tired of trying to hide it. My boyfriend is a goat, and I don't care who knows it." 

"That sounds a little weird, but I think I like it," SooHyun grinned, kissing him again before pulling him towards the door. "The next match is probably going to start soon, we should hurry."

"Yeah," KiBum nodded, following beside SooHyun. The month was already promising to be laden with way too much stress, and just thinking about it made his head spin. It would definitely not be the last time he had to walk out after a match, either. If he kept thinking about how he and all the people he cared about were in very real danger, he didn't know if he'd be able to survive the month.

So he shoved everything out of his mind, focusing on the warmth of SooHyun's hand in his instead. 

*********************34

The day waned on, the sounds of crowds cheering was never ending and sometimes Zhou Mi wondered how it was he never got a headache from it day in and day out. Maybe it was because he'd close his eyes and focus on KyuHyun's voice over the crowd, and how animated he would get.

Of course, the first day of the first tier was an exciting time and even Zhou Mi sat at his balcony to watch. Up until the end of the first game though, when the ox was killed, his good mood disappeared. He busied himself with paperwork and things that needed his attention for the rest of the matches, only making appearences at the balcony if there was something he needed to see. For the most part, he trusted KyuHyun's decision making in the ring, as did most of the crowd.

By the time the last match was finished, Zhou Mi was still fuming and had immediately sent a message to KyuHyun. He needed to have a discussion with someone.

Receiving the message as he was changing out of his referee's uniform, KyuHyun sighed to himself. He'd had a feeling this was coming, and guessed that the person he was to bring to Zhou Mi knew it as well. Pulling on his spare set of clothes, he headed down to the fighters' wing.

Five minutes later, he had returned to the commissioner's office. KyuHyun knocked on the door before pulling it open, stepping in. DongHae followed him inside, bowing as the snake closed the door behind them. 

Leaning back in his chair at his desk, Zhou Mi frowned at DongHae, motioning for him to sit down. "DongHae, thank you for seeing me. I'm sure you know what this is about but let me make myself clear. Technically death in the ring on any tier is not against the rules, so you aren't in any trouble nor is your master... but what the hell was that?"

"That was dealing with a problem, sir," DongHae replied, slowly walking over to sit down.

"You're going to have to be more elaborate than that," KyuHyun drawled, joining Zhou Mi on the other side of the desk.

"Most of the fighters are aware of what's going on, and what's going to happen," DongHae said. "The ox was trying to go against us and rally fighters not just to make a point, but to kill as many people as they can. I dealt with him." 

Zhou Mi blew out a slow breath at that, a wave of dizziness rushing over him. "Are there many more like him? Wanting to kill humans in the revolt?"

"There's a number of them, yeah," DongHae nodded. "My group have been working to identify those who can be persuaded otherwise, and who's a serious threat that needs to be taken care of." 

"Are there any fighters that are respected? By most of the fighters?" Zhou Mi asked.

DongHae's ear flicked back and forth as he thought about that. "They respect the stronger fighters. Those who've made it far in the pre-tournament, and previous tournaments." 

"I want you to appeal to those strong fighters, if they aren't with you yet, then convince them," Zhou Mi said. "The fighters will have you to rally them, but they will still need a strong hand to keep them in check. Understood?"

"Yes sir," DongHae nodded. "And if there are still those who won't listen?" 

Zhou Mi's lips thinned as he looked to KyuHyun for a moment before returning his attention to DongHae. "Make sure they won't be a problem."

"Understood, sir," DongHae nodded again, standing. "Was there anything else?" 

"That was all, one of the guards will escort you back down to the fighter wing," Zhou Mi said, motioning for him to go.

Bowing again, DongHae turned and left the office. KyuHyun watched the door click shut behind him, striding over to lock it. "You look like you need another vacation," he looked back at Zhou Mi. 

"I just gave him permission to kill slaves if he needed to," Zhou Mi said, closing his eyes. "What does that make me?"

"Someone who realizes that just like there's rotten humans, there's some rotten Signs too," KyuHyun walked back to the desk. "And this is too important to risk anything going wrong." 

"And the ends justify the means?" Zhou Mi said, rubbing at his temple. "I think I need a long hot bath tonight KuiXian... and maybe HeeChul has the right of it. Drink until the problems go away."

"And we both remember how sick you got last time you decided to drink until the problem went away." KyuHyun slipped around the desk to stop behind Zhou Mi. He wrapped his arms around the human from behind, resting his chin on top of Zhou Mi's head. "If it makes you feel better, DongHae was probably going to kill off the troublemakers anyways even if you told him not to, or get someone else to help him do it. Giving him permission or not wouldn't have made a difference. They've decided down there that nothing's going to stand in the way of getting their message out. Not even other fighters." 

"Doesn't mean it sits well with me KuiXian," Zhou Mi sighed. "Isn't the point of all this to prevent that very thing? To stop more Signs from being killed? I know in the end it's for the best, but doesn't mean I necessarily agree to it."

"I know," KyuHyun frowned. "Come on, you've been sitting in this chair too long. Let's go home." He straightened to pull the chair away from the desk. 

Getting to his feet, Zhou Mi closed up what he had been working on. "You know what my biggest fear was when I took this position?" he said, glancing at KyuHyun. "That one day I would be like every other person wh's sat in that chair before me. Seeing slaves as expendable, and not worth living. It's a slippery slope from agreeing to killing the fighters who don't agree with me about rights to... being the monster I wanted to protect others from."

The snake shook his head, turning Zhou Mi to face him. "And you're not going to go down that slope. You're better than that. Hell, you're better than me, cause I agree with what DongHae's doing." 

That took Zhou Mi by surprise, blinkg a little at him. "You do? I don't understand... you _want_ Signs to kill each other? Even if it's the name of good KuiXian... it's still killing people."

"I know that," KyuHyun nodded. "But I've never been an idealist like you. I see those fighters every day, and I know which ones will help us, and which ones are exactly the kind of bloodthirsty animals humans think we all are. It doesn't matter if humans made them that way, some Signs are beyond help. If we keep walking around on eggshells and ignoring these warning signs, the revolt will fail, people will die, and even more Signs will end up like them in the future." 

Zhou Mi sighed, looking toward the open balcony door. "I know you're right... and I hate that you are. I just wanted to be able to save them all..."

"And that's why you'll never go down that slippery slope," KyuHyun smirked. "Cause even when _Signs_ are insisting it needs to be done, you want to find another way." 

That brought out a sad smile, Zhou Mi looking back at KyuHyun. "Fair point. Once again you are the logical reasoning when I'm in the grips of despair. What would I do without you?"

"Let's not find out." KyuHyun leaned up to kiss Zhou Mi before pulling back, packing the human's papers in his suitcase. "Time to get out of here. I'll keep you distracted the rest of the night." 

"You better... it's only the first day and I fel like my head is going to explode," Zhou Mi said. "Have you seen my schedule for tomorrow? Not only do I have to preside over the games but I have several meetings with investors and promoters and some advocacy group for the fighting houses. As if _they're_ the ones who need advocates. I'm this close to telling them as such too."

"Oh, if you blow up at them, wait till I'm there to watch," KyuHyun grinned over his shoulder at Zhou Mi. "You pissed off is something spectacular." 

"As long as it's not directed at you," Zhou Mi snorted, putting on his jacket and heading for the door. "So many people see me as this soft pliable person who they can mold to their will. That was Kang HoDong's mistakewhen he brought me under his wing. I'm a man of strong convictions." He glanced at KyuHyun. "You like it when I get pissed off because it makes our relaxing time that much more... interesting."

"That it does," KyuHyun chuckled, closing the suitcase and carrying it to the door. "That and I like watching the looks on everyone elses' faces when you go all-out on them." 

"That is a little satisfying, I'll admit," Zhou Mi grinned. "That'll show anyone who thinks I'm a pushover... I think even Master Jung was surprised. Now _that_ felt good."

"He should be surprised, you're a force to be reckoned with. I'm just glad we're on the same side," KyuHyun chuckled, stopping beside the other man. 

"Well I probably wouldn't be as determined if you weren't by my side in the first place," Zhou Mi said, leaning over to give KyuHyun a light kiss. "You give me the greatest reason of all for doing this. And when this is over, we'll take the longest vacation ever just so I can properly thank you over, and over again."

"If my collar comes off, I'll be the one thanking you," KyuHyun smirked, returning the kiss before unlocking the door. "And I won't be waiting until we're on vacation." 

The corners of Zhou Mi's lips curled upwards as he stepped out into the hall. "Maybe we can give that test run tonight," he said, switching to Mandarin.

"Test run?" Translating that, KyuHyun held back a grin. "Of course. Hope you weren't planning to get any work done." 

"Whatever there is, can wait until I'm more focused," Zhou Mi chuckled. "You get that look in your eyes and I lose all concentration on anything that isn't you being on top of me."

"…I can't translate what I want to say into Mandarin," KyuHyun huffed. "Hurry up, if you keep talking like that the taxi driver's going to kick us out of his car." The snake walked a little faster. 

Zhou Mi laughed, following after him. "Then I guess we'll continue that conversation in the elevator of our building," he said. Until then, he would try not to let the stress of their situation get to him. If it hadn't been for KyuHyun all these years, he probably would have given up. That was something he would thank KyuHyun for until they were old wrinkly men.

************************************

The rest of the first tier passed without any major hiccups, no more so than usual. KyuHyun found himself spending most of his time in the fighters' quarters, talking with the slaves there. He only joined Zhou Mi at the end of the day, to make sure the human wasn't killing himself with work.

At least one good thing came out of the first tier. It was worth some of the struggle to see YunHo and YoungSaeng's eyes light up when Zhou Mi called them to his office, informing them that he was going to make sure YunHo kept full control of his house. KyuHyun's guesses about those two were confirmed as they left the office, YunHo holding onto YoungSaeng protectively.

Having house masters who actually cared for Signs was a big step forward. But they still had a long way to go. And there were plenty of bumps along the way.

Sighing to himself, KyuHyun stepped back into Zhou Mi's office. "Well, we've got two fighters in isolation. DongHae and HyunJoong this time." 

"... That dog is going to give me wrinkles," Zhou Mi sighed heavily, setting down his pen. "Have him brought to me, I want to find out why he was fighting one of the strongest fighters outside of the arena and I swear if it was because he planned on killing the tiger I'm stringing him up by his tail."

"DongHae's not _that_ stupid, I think, HyunJoong wasn't one of the troublemakers," KyuHyun wrinkled his nose. "Okay, I'll be back." He turned and left the office again. All this running up and down stairs was tiring.

When he arrived at DongHae's room, he saw the dog wasn't alone, someone crouching outside his door and talking to him through it. Blinking, KyuHyun thought for a moment. This could cheer Zhou Mi up a little. He waved a guard down to get DongHae's door open.

The guard followed them back up to Zhou Mi's office, DongHae nursing a sore jaw and sulking a little. Stopping outside Zhou Mi's office, KyuHyun turned around and looked at the guard. "Stay out here with him please," he pointed at the second fighter with them, who was looking more than a little confused.

Knocking, KyuHyun opened the door and stepped inside with DongHae, closing the door behind them. DongHae bowed to Zhou Mi. 

"Okay, so, walk me through the thought process here," Zhou Mi said, getting to his feet. "At what point did you think fighting one of the strongest fighters in the arena outside of a controlled environment was a good idea?"

DongHae's ears flattened as he straightened from his bow, lips pursed. "I wasn't _fighting_ , I was talking to him. He punched me. I don't know why I ended up in isolation when I didn't even punch him back." 

"Because there is a zero tolerance policy in regards to fighting outside of the arena," Zhou Mi said. "What were you saying that made him want to punch you?"

"I was trying to convince him to help us," DongHae replied. "I thought him being sweet on that Jung dragon would make him more open to helping, but he was stubborn." 

"...What do you mean?" Zhou Mi blinked. "He... and the Jung dragon? The one he wanted to kill in the pretournament?" He looked to KyuHyun with a raised eyebrow. "So he didn't like what you had to say, why would he punch you?" he asked, attention returning to DongHae.

"Because I questioned if he really liked the dragon or if he'd just find someone else to sleep with if JungMin died," DongHae shrugged. "So he punched me. I'll need to work on him a little more." 

"Maybe you should work on _tact_ ," Zhou Mi said sharply. "If someone had asked you after JinSang had died who you were going to jump into bed with next you would have punched him in the face as well! HyunJoong is someone we need on our side and if your best tactic is to piss him off enough to dislike _you_ then he's not going to do anything!"

DongHae's lips pressed thinly together, tail tucked slightly between his legs. "I wasn't trying to piss him off, I got annoyed. Sir." 

"Listen to me very carefully DongHae," Zhou Mi said, leaning over his desk a little. "There is no room for these kinds of mistakes right now. We are _this_ close to having everything either go exactly as planned or blow up in our face. I could very well not be in this office tomorrow and if this were to happen on someone elses watch, you can be damn sure you would be getting worse than a couple of days in isolation."

"…Yes sir." DongHae bowed from the waist to the commissioner, staying like that. KyuHyun folded his arms across his chest, watching them both by the door. 

"You are excused," Zhou Mi said, his tone gentler than before as he sat back down in his chair. "I mean it though DongHae... no more mistakes."

DongHae bowed again, turning and leaving the room. KyuHyun closed the door after him. "Well, that was fun," he said drily, looking back at Zhou Mi. 

"Don't you start," Zhou Mi grumbled, frowning at KyuHyun. "What he said about the Kim tiger and the Jung dragon is interesting though. I want you to find out what you can about them."

"That's not that hard, practically all the fighters know about them," KyuHyun said. "Their smell is all over each other. DongHae's right to be trying to get them on his side, even if his methods need a little work." 

"Then do what you can to salvage it," Zhou Mi said. "I have some letters to write... Let DongHae know I won't be fining his house for the fight, and since he wasn't the one who threw the punch he can be let out tomorrow."

"I'll let him know," KyuHyun nodded. "Can the letters wait for a few minutes? There's someone else up here waiting to see you, might put you in a better mood." 

"Hm?" Zhou Mi looked up again and after he had picked up his pen to get back to work. "What, what is it?" He glanced at the time with a frown. "This can't wait? You have to get back down, the next match will start soon."

"I'll go, don't worry," KyuHyun grinned, walking to the door. He opened the door and waved in the fighter shuffling from foot to foot outside.

The dog stepped into the office, bowing to Zhou Mi. "You wanted to see me, sir?" 

"..." Zhou Mi slowly got to his feet. "SungMin?"

"Yes?" SungMin straightened, and actually looked at the human's face for the first time. Both ears flicked up. "Master Zhou Mi?" 

"I'm not your master," Zhou Mi laughed a little, getting to his feet. "Just call me Zhou Mi... it's so good to see you."

KyuHyun slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him. SungMin blinked repeatedly at the human before nodding, tail wagging behind him. "It's…good to see you too, I didn't realize you were commissioner…uh…am I in trouble for something?" 

"No... of course not," Zhou Mi sighed a little. "It's funny, I looked right at you not that long ago and didn't even recognize you. I just... I wanted to see you, see how you were. I've watched your matches, I'm very impressed."

"Thank you," SungMin looked like he wasn't sure if he should bow or not. "I wasn't expecting to see you here, not since the Zhou house stopped competing. You…got taller." The dog was over a head shorter than Zhou Mi. 

"Hopefully I'm done growing by this point," Zhou Mi chuckled. "I'm surprised you didn't know I was commissioner... how many Zhou Mi's do you think are in Korea? I don't want to keep you long, I'm sure you're tired... but I'm very happy to see you, and... I never get to say goodbye when we were kids, but I had always hoped you grew up well."

"The Kim masters are very kind," SungMin nodded, lips quirked. His nose twitched slightly as he sniffed the air. Whether he smelled the snake all over Zhou Mi or not, he didn't say anything about it. "I missed you a lot, sir, I'm glad you're doing well." 

"Thank you... and I..." Zhou Mi frowned slightly, trailing off. "I wish you luck in your remaining matches. Thank you for meeting with me, one of the guards outside will show you back to the fighter's wing."

"Okay," SungMin nodded again. He bowed to Zhou Mi. "Thank you…take care of yourself, Mimi." He turned to leave the room. 

"You too SungMin... be very careful," Zhou Mi said, watching him go. Sitting down at his desk again, he pushed papers around on his desk, not really focusing on anything. Not even the rest of the matches for the day.

*************************************35

The tournament passed far too slowly for KiBum, each day feeling like weeks. If it weren't for SooHyun at his side through the whole thing, he wasn't sure how he would have handled it. Many days the fighting in the ring and the fights with HyungJoon were too much for him, and he had to disappear for a while to avoid saying something he might regret.

He just felt so _useless_. Everyone else was risking their life to get things done, Kevin and Zhou Mi in danger, but KiBum couldn't do anything other than sit in a booth and watch Signs try to kill each other. If he could just do something, _anything_ , the stress would ease up a little.

He'd managed to attend the protests briefly the day before, while HyungJoon was watching the matches. Just the short hour spent in the crowd of students made him feel a little better. At least this was something he could do right. He slept better that night, rather than toss and turn for hours.

That didn't mean he was happy to head out the next morning for another day of matches. Tying his shoes up, KiBum looked up at SooHyun. "There should be a rest day coming up soon, I think…you wanna get away from here a bit, go do something?" 

"Go where?" SooHyun asked, tilting his head slightly as one ear flickered. "You mean out of the city? Then yes, definitely. Anywhere and do anything."

KiBum smiled at that. "How about one of the mountains? Go hiking through a forest…I'll bring that book on flowers so you don't try eating anything that'll make you sick." 

"I'd like that," SooHyun grinned. "As long as you'll be happy hiking up a mountain, goats are natural climbers but humans aren't."

"I'll be fine, I'm not that out of shape," KiBum laughed, standing once his shoes were on. "Might not follow you up a cliff face though, I'll take the long way around." He walked to the door, waiting for SooHyun. 

"As long as you enjoy yourself too," SooHyun said, following him out the door and closing it behind them. "I know you like to think you have to make sure I'm having fun all the time and enjoying myself, but I want you to be able to do the things you want to do to."

"I _am_ doing what I want to do," KiBum smiled at the goat, taking SooHyun's hand. "Exploring places with you, when it's just us and you're laughing loud enough to scare away the birds, that's what I want to do." 

"You're very strange for a human, and that's saying something," SooHyun said, keeping his voice low. There wasn't anyone else in the hall, but there was no way of knowing who was lurking behind doors.

"I hope that's a good kind of strange," KiBum chuckled, heading down the hallway. They'd found a path through the back of the hotel that helped them avoid the majority of the crowd outside, so he headed that way. 

"Well... I like it, so I guess so?" SooHyun shrugged, opening the door to the stairwell for KiBum to go first. "Your boyfriend is a Sign, that makes you weird by human standards."

"Probably, but I'm okay with that," KiBum chuckled. "Who wants to be normal?" He headed down the stairwell, listening to the sound of the protests filtering in from the windows. "Is it just me or have they gotten even louder? Must be more people." 

"Kevin did say they were bringing in everyone," SooHyun said. "I think he meant it... Maybe after what you told he made sure anyone who could hold up a sign or chant was here."

When they exited the stairwell and made their way outside to the colosseum, KiBum saw they were right. The amount of protestors had swelled, even reaching the path they'd chosen to _avoid_ the crowd. "Wow," KiBum listened to the loud chanting as they walked to the colosseum. He could hear Kevin on the megaphone, but couldn't see the blond kid through the sea of people. 

So many people around made SooHyun very nervous. It wouldn't take much to set off tempers in this volatile of a situation, they'd heard that reports of slave owners being attacked on the streets. Even though people knew who he and KiBum were, one person who didn't could set off a very bad chain reaction. SooHyun kept himself as close to KiBum as possible, his hand at the small of KiBum's back to urge him to go quickly. 

Not only were the protestors a problem, but so were the press. Someone had figured out who KiBum was and every time one of them caught sight of KiBum, the younger brother was hounded with questions about HyungJoon and the house, and especially KyuJong. In fact, there two men with cameras strolling towards the colosseum doors and if they didn't hurry, would beat KiBum inside. "You would think they would have come up with a way to keep the house masters and their families safe during all this," he spoke into KiBum's ear.

"There are…escorts to and from the colosseum, but they can only do so much," KiBum replied, a little distracted. "I don't think they were expecting this many protestors." He did speed up when he noticed the cameramen heading the same direction as them. No way was he dealing with that again.

Thankfully they made it into the colosseum first, heading into one of the lifts. "I don't mind the city crowds, but I _do_ mind people trying to shove cameras in my face," KiBum mumbled to SooHyun, leaning slightly against the goat. 

"I mind people getting anywhere near you," SooHyun huffed, his arm tightening around KiBum's waist.

Chuckling quietly, KiBum took advantage of being alone in the lift to lean up and press a soft kiss to SooHyun's lips. The lift stopped at their floor a moment later, and his hand slipped into SooHyun's again as they headed out and to their box.

When they got there, only YunHo and YoungSaeng were present. KiBum said a quiet good morning, going to his seat in the corner with SooHyun. 

HyungJoon arrived not long after, towing a very confused looking RyeoWook with him. "Morning, YunHo," the young master said, YunHo and YoungSaeng. "YoungSaeng... SooHyun, I'm going to ask the both of you to leave for a moment," he said, looking at KiBum directly. "RyeoWook is going to escort you to my viewing box for the time being."

Eyebrows going up, SooHyun looked to KiBum in confusion. The hard edge to HyungJoon's tone and his narrowed eyes gave him pause. He'd seen HyungJoon upset before, but it looked like the older brother was angry... and angry at KiBum.

Meeting SooHyun's look with just as much confusion, KiBum turned to face his brother. His eyes went from HyungJoon to RyeoWook. "Why, what's going on," he asked, feeling a sense of foreboding in how HyungJoon was looking at him.

"You and I are going to have a conversation," HyungJoon said, his lips pressed firmly together. "I would rather the slaves weren't here for it." 

YoungSaeng was getting to his feet, giving YunHo a quick kiss before heading to the door. "Come on, goat, family business trumps," he said. Looking at KiBum nervously, SooHyun slowly got to his feet and shuffled towards the door.

"I'll send someone for you when we're done," HyungJoon said, nodding to RyeoWook to lead them out.

KiBum inhaled deeply once SooHyun was gone, leaving him alone with HyungJoon and YunHo, who also seemed to know what was going on. He shifted in his seat to face them better. "Well, what is it."

HyungJoon sat down beside him, taking a deep breath. When he looked at KiBum, his expression was hurt.

"I know…KiBum. I know you're one of the protestors."

KiBum's heart sank in his chest, throat closing. But…how? He'd been careful to stay away…except for yesterday. Had someone seen him and SooHyun with the protestors in the brief amount of time they'd been there?

He didn't know what to say, heart starting to race. He forced himself to stay calm and not panic, meeting HyungJoon's eyes. "Are you going to ask me to stop?"

"If you want to continue to be supported by me, then yes," HyungJoon replied, frowning. "I won't have someone living off the money I make part of that, it's complete and utter hypocrisy."

KiBum's jaw clenched slightly, and he looked away. There had to be a good way to say this…there had to be a way to make HyungJoon understand. "I'm not going to stop. I believe in their cause," he said finally.

"Then you're no longer a part of my family," HyungJoon said, and KiBum froze. "Which means you're no longer welcome at the house. Dad would be so ashamed of you right now."

Pain stabbed him, KiBum looking at HyungJoon in shock. Was HyungJoon really—?

"HyungJoon, surely that isn't the only answer," YunHo tried to interject.

HyungJoon was disowning him. Without even giving KiBum a chance to explain himself, to _show_ why he believed in the protesting. And bringing Dad into it…KiBum felt the tears start, and stood up.

"No, if that's what he wants, then fine. If standing up for what I believe is right is a cause for shame, then I won't bother you with my presence again. None of us can change the fact we were born into this life, but that isn't going to make a bad thing right." The words he'd wanted to say for so long finally came out. "They deserve more than to fight like animals and die for us, or to be used as bedwarmers, or to have a life in chains."

HyungJoon stood up as well, glaring at his brother. "I agree with you KiBum, and I want things to change just as much as you, but you have been lying to me from the start! Yet you lecture _me_ because I kept how bad things were from you. _That_ is why I'm angry with you, and _that_ is why I have asked you to stop. I don't think you completely understand what it is I'm saying right now. By continuing to protest against your own _brother_ , I will cut you off, close your bank account and cancel your credit cards. You want to fight injustice? Then do it on someone else's dime and not with money won by the very thing you're protesting."

"For your information, _hyung_ , I didn't use a single won of your dirty money for this," KiBum hissed, hands clenched at his sides. "I got a part-time job and used my own money. And I understand full well what you're saying. I'm telling you that I'm not stopping, because if we don't stand up for them, who will? I never wanted to lie to you, but I knew you'd react like this and wanted to hold on to my brother for a little longer."

"Just so you can stab me in the back later?" HyungJoon shook his head before he sat back down, rubbing at his forehead. "Whatever KiBum. Do whatever you want with your life. It's not like we were that close anyway, I don't know you bothered to try."

KiBum was shaking by then. He didn't know how he wasn't already crying. "Maybe because even after everything, I still love my hyung and wanted this whole fighting business behind us so we can be close again."

He stepped around the couch and towards the door, fingers curling around the doorknob. "Goodbye."

"This is my life KiBum, I'm sorry you couldn't accept that," HyungJoon said, not moving from where he was sitting. "I'll have your things set out for you from the house if you want them, or are they all tainted as well?"

"I don't need them." KiBum opened the door, stepping out. "I don't want a life that sends innocent people to die."

He left the room, walking down the hallway towards the viewing box where SooHyun would be. After a minute, he realized HyungJoon wasn't going to come after him. His brother was really disowning him. He was still in shock, the reality not sinking in yet.

Finding the other viewing box, he opened the door, seeing the three Signs inside. "Come on SooHyun, let's go."

SooHyun slowly rose to his feet from where he'd been sitting on one of the couches. The other two Signs had been nice enough to talk to him while they were there, but he had been an anxious mess the entire time. Of course, he didn't miss the look in KiBum's eyes, and his anxiety went through the roof. "KiBum? What's wrong? What happened?" he asked softly, stepping towards him.

"Nothing, we're going." KiBum turned away from the room, not even looking at RyeoWook or YoungSaeng. He headed back to the lift, hands jammed into his pockets to keep them from shaking. 

SooHyun made a hasty goodbye to the other two Signs before trotting out after him to the lifts. By the time he caught up, the gates were opening to let people out. Fidgeting anxiously until everyone was off, he waited until the gates had closed once they were inside to look at KiBum with wide eyes. "Obviously something happened..."

KiBum's expression had closed off, the younger man's eyes unfocused and not looking at SooHyun. "We're going back to the hotel," was all he would say, an edge to his voice that wasn't directed at the goat. 

Shrinking back slightly, SooHyun watched KiBum worriedly. He'd never heard KiBum talk that way and he was more than a little scared to go back to the room with him. Shuffling away a little, he clasped his hands in front of him and looked down at the floor. When the lift reached the ground floor, he waited until KiBum exited before following after, staying at least two steps behind the entire way to the hotel.

Even once in the hotel, there was no conversation, KiBum staying silent. Anger and grief tore at him, anger at both HyungJoon and himself. He felt like the world had dropped out from under him.

Stepping into their hotel room, he didn't even bother taking off his shoes. KiBum strode over to the closet, pulling out their luggage bags and dumping them on the bed before starting to open drawers. 

SooHyun was frozen at the door, watching KiBum pack. Whatever had happened had been bad, that much was clear. But they were leaving? Lips thinning, Soohyun quietly started to help put things neatly into the suitcases. When KiBum was ready to talk, he would listen and try to understand.

Once the clothes were packed away, SooHyun zipped up the suitcases and lifted them off the bed, setting them down by the door. He waited quietly, head down until KiBum was ready to go.

KiBum looked blankly at the bags by the door. This was really happening. He wasn't a Kim anymore. Throat constricting, he turned away from the door. "Find Kevin and tell him we'll be at the apartment," he said quietly. "I need a minute." 

Bowing a little, SooHyun slipped out the door and left KiBum alone. It would be hard to find Kevin in the mess on the streets.

KiBum turned slightly to look at the door as it closed behind SooHyun. He sat down, staring down at his hands. Was wanting Signs to be free really that horrible? He hadn't even been given a chance to explain himself…tell HyungJoon the things he'd seen, the hope and happiness in America, the crushing despair in the breeding house…

He kept coming back to the realization that he no longer had a brother, the thought hitting him like a ton of bricks over and over. Choking back a sob, KiBum pressed one hand to his mouth, tears flowing in a steady stream. 

When SooHyun returned some time later, he slipped in just as quietly as he had left. It didn't surprise him that KiBum was crying, but he wished he knew _why_. Not sure what to do, he stood up against the wall, hands clasped and head down.

It took a few minutes for KiBum to respond to SooHyun's presence, shoulders shaking as he cried. His hand dropped from his face, head lowered.

"We're not going back home," he whispered finally, voice watery. 

SooHyun nodded, already coming to that conclusion since he just went to tell Kevin they were going to the apartment. "Kevin said he will be waiting for us," he replied quietly.

KiBum nodded mutely, closing his eyes. As the shock slowly subsided, despair took it's place. He was alone now. He'd lost the only family he had, and now he was really alone.

Staggering to his feet, KiBum wiped at his eyes. "Let's go," he whispered, slowly picking up his bags and slinging them over his shoulder. 

SooHyun took the other bag, opening the door for him. There wasn't much he could do at this point, feeling helpless.

They met Kevin down by the bus depot, how the other man had gotten away from the protests was left to the imagination since more students were still coming in. KiBum didn't reply to the question of what was wrong, eyes closed as he waited for the bus.

It took half an hour to get back to the apartment, the ride there silent. Finally they arrived, KiBum stepping into the apartment and placing his bags just inside the door to his and SooHyun's bedroom. 

Despite what people seemed to believe about him on first glance, Kevin wasn't an idiot. It was very obvious that this wasn't a social visit especially since SooHyun looked like someone had rewired his programming again and was staying out peoples way, not saying anything. Closing the door and locking it, Kevin gave a wary glance to SooHyun as he followed KiBum to the older man's bedroom. "So... how long are you staying?" he asked.

"I don't know," KiBum said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He looked down at his hands. "HyungJoon found out, about the protests." 

Eyes widening, Kevin moved into the room to sit down next to him. "What happened? Did you guys fight?"

KiBum nodded, exhaling shakily as he closed his eyes. He was on the verge of tears again. "He disowned me." 

"Oh... KiBum," Kevin's eyes softened as he put an arm around KiBum's shoulders. "I'm sorry... I know how much he means to you. Maybe... maybe he was just being rash and didn't really mean it, and he'll apologize or... I don't know. Is there anything I can do?"

KiBum didn't really believe Kevin's words; for HyungJoon to be angry enough to disown him, he must truly hate KiBum now. KiBum's shoulder's shuddered slightly, and he shook his head. "…Where's SooHyun?" he asked after a long minute of silence, looking up at his friend. 

"Uh..." Kevin craned his neck over to look out the door, seeing SooHyun standing exactly where he'd left him. "In the living room, looking like someone removed his brain. Is he okay?"

"I don't know…" KiBum had been too upset to pay attention to the goat, barely registering SooHyun's presence. He leaned against Kevin a little, taking in the amount of comfort offered, and slowly stood. "I should talk to him," he said quietly, scrubbing at his eyes. 

"Well I don't think he's going anywhere, so it can wait until you've calmed down a little," Kevin said. "Was he there when it happened? I'm sure that's why he's like that."

KiBum shook his head, leaning against the wall and head down. "He knows we're not going back home…not why, I couldn't…tell him in front of all those people." 

"So he doesn't know what happened?" Kevin frowned slightly at that. "Then I don't know what's wrong with him... you want me to go get him?"

"No…I should talk to him," KiBum wiped his eyes, trying to clear away the tears. "I just need a moment. I'm sorry for taking you away from the protests." 

"Hey, you're my friend and needed help, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now," Kevin said gently. "Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

"Thank you," KiBum nodded, straightening and forcing a small smile. "That…means a lot to me right now. Not that…it didn't before…but you know what I mean." He exhaled slowly before turned to go back into the living room. He saw that SooHyun really hadn't moved from the doorway. "…SooHyun?" 

The goat's eyes came back into focus and he looked at KiBum, inclining his head. Kevin watched with a frown from KiBum's shoulder. "I... need to get back, you going to be okay here?"

"Yeah…thanks, Kev," KiBum nodded. Looking down, he reached out and lightly touched SooHyun's hand. "Come on…let's go sit down." 

SooHyun didn't reply, not even a twitch of his fingers as he looked up at KiBum and followed him to the couch to sit down. Perched tensely on the edge of the cushion, hands resting on his knees he stared forward as if he would be asked to jump at any second. Seeing that, Kevin gave KiBum a supportive smile as he put his shoes back on and left, closing the door behind him.

Throat constricting as he watched SooHyun, KiBum bit the inside of his cheek and closed his eyes for a moment to compose himself. He had to be strong right now, if not for himself, then for SooHyun. Sitting down beside SooHyun, he glanced sideways at SooHyun's hands resting on his knees.

"HyungJoon found out, about me being part of the protests." His voice was quiet. "I'm not welcome back at the Kim house anymore. I'm sorry…we won't be going back." 

That finally got a reaction out of SooHyun as he looked at KiBum, though his expression was unreadable. "I'm sorry..." he whispered after a moment, looking away again. "Do you want me to unpack your things?"

"No…I'll do it after," KiBum shook his head. He reached out and lightly covered SooHyun's hand with his own. "It'll…be tough for a while, but we'll get through this." He didn't sound entirely convinced of that himself. 

SooHyun looked down at the hand, his brow furrowing slightly. "I'm sorry.... I wasn't being a good boyfriend," he said finally. "I should have done more to comfort you but I didn't know what was wrong and you were so angry and I didn't want to get hit... I'm sorry."

"I'd never hit you…never," KiBum shook his head slowly, looking down at their hands too as his fingers curled a little more securely around SooHyun's. "Was that…why you were so quiet?" 

"I had never seen you so angry before," SooHyun said, trying not to tremble but failing miserably. "I didn't know what had happened or what you would do if I kept talking to you and asking you questions, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for doubting you."

"Don't be sorry," KiBum whispered. "It's not your fault…" He lifted their hands, fingers linking together as he pressed a soft kiss to the back of SooHyun's hand, eyes closing. 

"That doesn't mean I'm not sorry for my actions," SooHyun said, hanging his head. "Maybe if I had spoken up more, stopped us from going to the protests so your brother wouldn't have found out or made us stay at the manor... or _something_. Why can't he just blame me for this? We can do that, go to him and tell him it's all my fault, that I made you do it..."

"That's not true, and I would never pin any sort of blame on you…" KiBum lowered their hands, keeping his eyes closed. "It was my choice, my fault…I'll live with the consequences." 

"But we're doing something _good_ ," SooHyun said. "Does he not believe in Sign rights even though he's sleeping with KyuJong? Does he not care about him?"

"He does, for Kyu…for Sign rights, not far enough to stop being a fighting house," KiBum replied quietly. 

"I wish there was something I could do," SooHyun said. "I didn't think he would be that angry."

"Neither did I." KiBum's voice wavered, and he managed a faint chuckle before wiping at his eyes with his free hand. "On the…on the bright side…no more watching matches," he whispered. 

"But no more seeing your brother either," SooHyun said, finally looking at KiBum again. "That doesn't seem a fair trade."

"It isn't," KiBum replied, and those words broke his resolution to be strong as his face crumpled, shoulders shuddering. 

SooHyun's ears drooped, not liking this side of KiBum. He'd never seen KiBum this angry and upset before and it was so disconcerting. He put an arm around KiBum's shoulder and tugged on him enough to pull the younger man into his lap. Soohyun was limited on what he understood about humans, but he understood enough to know that someone crying needed comfort.

Letting SooHyun maneuver him into his lap, KiBum buried his face in SooHyun's collar. He finally let out all his grief, arms wrapped tightly around the goat and body shaking as he cried. 

There wasn't much else SooHyun could do, just holding onto KiBum tightly and letting him cry. Being a sympathetic person, SooHyun felt a few tears of his own slip out. At some point, he'd lifted KiBum up and took him into their bedroom so KiBum could be more comfortable, SooHyun not once letting him go. Now stretched out in bed, he ran a hand slowly up and down KiBum's back, kissing his forehead lightly. "What do we do now?" he asked quietly when the sobs had finally ended.

Emotionally spent, KiBum's arm remained around SooHyun's waist, curled up against the goat. His eyes slowly opened at the gentle kiss to his forehead. "We finish this," he said softly. "We make our voices heard with the others…if you're still with me." 

"Of course," SooHyun smiled gently. "I wasn't planning on going anywhere... you've made me want to fight for my own rights."

That drew a soft smile out of KiBum. "Can you see it?" he whispered, reaching up and lightly framing SooHyun's face with one hand. "Leaving the regulations office a free man, no collar." 

"Do we have to wait until then?" SooHyun asked, his hand covering KiBum's and holding it against his cheek. "I've never wanted to be rid of my collar as much as I do now... never even considered it could happen."

"…No, it doesn't have to wait," KiBum pressed a kiss to SooHyun's lips before sitting up slowly. "If you want…we can take it off right now. 

"Really? You won't get into trouble? Will I?" SooHyun blinked, sitting up as well.

"No, it's up to me whether I even want my slave to have a collar or not," KiBum replied, smiling lightly at him. "I…wanted you to be comfortable asking me yourself." 

SooHyun returned the smile, reaching a hand up to the collar around his neck. He had felt so happy and relieved when KiBum had bought the soft leather one for him. It had been a comfortable weight around his neck, knowing that he wasn't going to feel any pain with this master. But now... KiBum was only his master technically, and they both wanted more than that from each other. "I don't want to wear a collar anymore, can you please remove it?"

"Okay," KiBum's smile widened. He reached out, undoing the buckle on the front of the collar. The collar loosened, and he pulled it away from SooHyun's neck, placing it down beside them. 

"... I feel... free," SooHyun murmured, his hand ghosting over the sensitive scarred skin. "Thank you... thank you," he whispered, voice wavering as the tears came unbidden. He didn't know of anything that had made him as happy as he felt that moment.

Smiling softly, KiBum grew SooHyun into a gentle hug, fingers running through the goat's soft hair. "I love you," he whispered beside the older man's ear, closing his eyes. 

"I love you too KiBum," SooHyun replied, his arms wrapping tightly around KiBum's waist. "I love you so much.. I can finally say a slave has the right to love."

"Everyone does," KiBum nodded, hugging him for a moment longer before pulling back enough to rest his forehead against SooHyun's. He separated his hand from SooHyun's hair to lightly brush away tears with his thumb. "Now we just have to get out there and show them." 

"...Not right this second though, right?" SooHyun asked, eyes half closed as he leaned forward that little bit to give KiBum a kiss.

"No," KiBum whispered against SooHyun's lips. "Now, it's just us." He returned the kiss, pulling SooHyun back down to the bed. 

"My favorite part of the day," SooHyun replied, deepening the kiss so thoroughly that KiBum couldn't respond. Not that he would be making any coherent sense in the next minute or so anyway. SooHyun was happy, even if things that happened that day hung a black cloud over them. They would deal with those problems later, even if it seemed hopeless.

********************************36

The end of the second tier was promising; many major players had moved on to the next round. The numbers included KyuJong, HyunJoong, JungMin, DongHae, SungMin and HyukJae; other powerful fighters had also made it into the top 16. Keeping a careful eye on the latter three, KyuHyun noted only one other death that could have been avoided; they seemed to be doing a good job of getting other troublesome fighters on their side for the revolt. DongHae in particular seemed to have smartened up; he wasn't put into isolation again.

By first day's end, KyuJong had been finally knocked out of the tournament, despite winning his match. KyuHyun wasn't that surprised to hear HyungJoon had stopped by Zhou Mi's office to remove KyuJong from the lists. That left them with a minor problem the following morning, but KyuHyun wasn't too worried.

"We're gonna have one fighter left out," the snake commented, sitting on the corner of Zhou Mi's desk and looking over the match list. He chewed on the end of a pen. "We've got an odd number now." 

"Someone will just have an extra match this round, not unheard of," Zhou Mi said, half listening. "Did you find out anything more about that snake? Maybe it was just my imagination but he seemed intent on killing KyuJong from the beginning of the match."

"Nothing new there," KyuHyun mumbled around the pen in his mouth, keeping the cap between his teeth as he scribbled a note on the match list. "What was I supposed to find out?" 

"...I don't know, I was just interested in who he was, if he had a vendetta against KyuJong for something," Zhou Mi said, sighing a little. "That was a horrible way to go... even if I'm glad that KyuJong is still alive... I wouldn't wish that kind of death on even Master Jung."

"I dunno, might be an improvement on him." KyuHyun looked over his shoulder at Zhou Mi. "That was the snake from my clutch, the one who clobbered me last year." 

Zhou Mi looked up slowly at that, his expression one of horror and sympathy. "Oh... I'm sorry KuiXian... I realize you probably weren't very close, but that's still... I'm sorry."

"I've been thinking about that," KyuHyun faced forward again, tapping the pen against his knee. "I knew him for 14 years…he was one of the first in my clutch bought from the house. But I'm not even sad about him dying. I think I would have been more affected by KyuJong dying. Is that strange, to not even care about my own brother? Am I messed up?" 

"No, I don't think you are," Zhou Mi said, getting to his feet. He padded over to where KyuHyun was, slowly sitting down. "In the breeding houses, you weren't encouraged to have relationships with siblings or other children. You were there to learn how to serve humans, or to fight. Being free of that life, you've made real connections to people now, and I don't blame you at all for feeling the way you do about it."

KyuHyun listened to Zhou Mi, removing the pen cap from between his teeth. "I used to think it was perfectly normal not to have any sort of connection with the others. To not care about my family, anyone else in the same year as me, or even who my parents might have been. But after watching families out here, and you and your dad…I wonder now." 

"One of the saddest things I've ever had to watch is when SungMin's litter was born," Zhou Mi said, looking down at his hands. "His mother... she had bonded with all of them, same with his father. They were a _family_... and my father wanted to keep them together as best he could but SungMin's mother said no. She was the one who insisted they be sold off or sent away. I know it broke her heart, but she did what she thought was best for the house. Father couldn't have afforded to house all of them their entire lives."

Frowning, KyuHyun placed the list and pen down. "Your father's a good man. I'm happy as I am now…you, Geng and HeeChul are like my family…but I do wish I could have known my parents at least. Is it always going to be like this for Signs?" 

"No," Zhou Mi shook his head, leaning forward to touch KyuHyun's knee gently. "It won't always be like this. Freeing the slaves, abolishing breeding houses, that's what we're working towards. it may take a while for Signs to adjust and start families of their own, but it _will_ happen."

Looking up at Zhou Mi, the snake's lips quirked slightly. "Yeah. Eventually." He glanced at the door when there was a knock. "Think our quiet time's over." 

"... It's probably just another reporter," Zhou Mi said, getting to his feet and moving around the desk to sit back down. "Could you take care of it please?"

"On it," KyuHyun sighed. He hopped off the corner of the desk and walked to the door. Pulling it open, he blinked. It wasn't a reporter; it was Han Geng, and he looked winded.

"Zhou Mi?" Han Geng stepped into the office.

KyuHyun closed the door after him, confused. "…Isn't senate in session right now?" 

"Geng?" Zhou Mi blinked, halfway to sitting down but straightened back up. "What's wrong? Did something happen with the bill? Did the opposition get the votes it needed?"

"That's…that's fine, that isn't why I'm here," Han Geng shook his head, eyes wide. "I just came from a discussion with Senator Cho." He'd named one of the senators who also had connections to the gaming commission. "There was a shareholder's meeting earlier this morning. They voted in favor of you stepping down as commissioner." 

"...What?" Zhou Mi's eyes widened. "I just had a meeting with them last week! They..." his eyes narrowed and he slowly sat down. "This is Master Jung's doing. That slime... I bet he's on his way here now to gloat. Thank you Geng, you know what this will mean now."

Han Geng's lips thinned, and he nodded. "I'll take care of KyuHyun, don't worry."

"Can't we talk to the shareholders?" KyuHyun argued, looking between them. "He has to be blackmailing them on something, they _know_ the tournament needs you where you are. We can convince them to ignore him." 

"No," Zhou Mi shook his head, unlocking the bottom drawer of his desk and opening it. "Honestly I think this could be for the best, for all of us. Whoever Master Jung has put in place is going to be an abusive asshole just like him, or a mere puppet. When the revolt happens, it's not me they're going to blame for it."

"But you're going to be in danger! Master Jung will make sure of that!" KyuHyun was searching for a way to get around this, but there was none. He followed Zhou Mi to the desk. 

"And he will have his own problems to worry about if the fighters revolt under his pick for commissioner," Zhou Mi said, smirking a little, emptying out the drawer. "I actually couldn't have planned this better KuiXian."

The snake opened his mouth and closed it again, unable to come up with a retort for that. But he was clearly unhappy, grudgingly helping Zhou Mi. "I still don't like this. Why couldn't I be a poisonous snake, would get rid of him a lot easier…" 

Zhou Mi looked up at that, eyes narrowed and lips downturned into a scowl. "No, KuiXian. I don't want you ever thinking that way. Killing Master Jung is not the answer, and neither will be killing the new commissioner. If that were to happen, I can only imagine what the authorities would do to you and that would just give our opposition more fuel."

KyuHyun's lips pressed together into thin lines. "But it would keep him from doing anything to you."

"Mi…I can't be here when they arrive, is there anything I can do?" Han Geng asked from by the door. 

"Make sure that bill is passed before the revolt," Zhou Mi said. "Good luck to you Geng, I'll see you when this is all finished."

"Good luck to you as well," Han Geng nodded to Zhou Mi, eyes worried, before he turned and left the office. 

"KuiXian, I want you to take this briefcase, put it in your room in the fighter's wing," Zhou Mi said, finished putting all the documents from the drawer into the briefcase and setting it on the desk. "When Geng comes tonight to collect you, give it to him."

Nodding mutely, KyuHyun waited until Zhou Mi was done before taking the briefcase. He scowled down at it, knuckles white. "You better stay safe, you hear me?" 

"Of course, but I'll be in a far safer position than you will," Zhou Mi said, stepping closer to touch KyuHyun's cheek lightly. "You be very careful, try not to get yourself killed."

"Who do you take me for," KyuHyun looked back up at Zhou Mi. He lifted his free hand and pulled Zhou Mi into a hard kiss, eyes tightly shut. 

Zhou Mi returned the kiss, arms wrapping tightly around him. There wasn't enough time to drag KyuHyun to the couch like he wanted, Master Jung and his cronies could be there any second. When he finally pulled away, panting a little as he leaned his forehead against KyuHyun's, blinking back the tears. "You should hurry and go, the first match will start soon," he murmured.

"Can't I wait here with you?" KyuHyun asked, opening his eyes half-way. "They're going to be insufferable." 

"No, you have a job to do and I wouldn't want you ignoring that for me, not now," Zhou Mi said softly. "I'll be fine."

"You better be, or I'll drop Master Jung into a snake pit," KyuHyun said, exhaling slowly before kissing Zhou Mi again. He pulled back finally. "Be very careful." 

"I will," Zhou Mi tried a small smile. "Now go, hurry."

Nodding, KyuHyun backed up to the door. "Good luck." He turned and left the room, closing the door after him. The snake headed down to the referee's room, worry and frustration in every step. 

It was quiet when KyuHyun had left Zhou Mi's office, the commissioner moving back around to sit down at his desk. Slowly breathing in and out, Zhou Mi kept his eyes closed for a moment, gathering the strength he would need to get through the day. Despite what he had told KyuHyun, he didn't really want to be ousted. Everything he had worked for was being snatched away and there was nothing he could do. Years of planning could be undone if Master Jung learned of the slave revolt. Hundreds of slaves would be destroyed and nothing would change.

Zhou Mi only allowed himself a few minutes to despair, steeling himself up and straightening in his chair. No matter what were to happen, he wasn't going to give up, not at this small of a setback. The new commissioner, whether it be Master Jung himself or someone he handpicked would be a ruthless tyrant. The people would unlikely care that he was being ousted, but they would once the slaves revolted. They would see Zhou Mi has a commissioner who had built a trusting relationship with the fighters, who had kept them in check. Not his ideal solution, but he would work with what he had.

The first match had just begun, Zhou Mi organizing the things on his desk as he listened to KyuHyun's voice over the crowd when the doors slammed open. He looked up, eyes narrowed and lips thin as three men strode into the room. Zhou Mi could hear his secretary trying to get them to leave but Zhou Mi waved her out. "What can I do for you gentlemen?" he asked calmly. 

"Commissioner Zhou Mi, we represent the gaming commission and the shareholders," one of the men said.

"I'll tell him," the one in the middle huffed. Zhou Mi eyed the man in the middle, noted his suit looked new and his hair slicked back. The man looked familiar, but Zhou Mi wasn't sure where he had seen him before. "The commissioner's held a meeting, they have decided you are not doing as good of a job as they had hoped. You're fired." The man smirked a little, and that's when Zhou Mi was sure this was Master Jung's pick.

"Interesting they would hold a meeting without me," Zhou Mi said, getting to his feet. "Considering I just had a meeting with them last week and they were praising me in how well the tournament was going."

"Things change," the pudgy man sneered. "Make an announcement that the games will be dealyed. Your files will need to be gone over so we can repair any damage you may have done and prevent any sort of... plan you may have to sabotage the games."

"Sabotage?" Zhou Mi was laughing inwardly at that. "Why would I sabotage something I hold so dearly? Clearly Master Jung doesn't trust me, but he's a bigger fool than I thought."

"Obviously he isn't if he's won!" the pudgy man thundered, and Zhou Mi raised an eyebrow. There was something in the way the man was looking at him, with utter loathing and contempt that it finally clicked.

"Ah... no wonder," Zhou Mi chuckled, moving around the desk. "Very well, I will make my announcement."

"And you tell that snake of yours to get his scaley ass up here," the pudgy man said. "I am seizing all of your property _including_ him."

That got Zhou Mi's attention and his eyes widened. He should have seen that coming. "I beg your pardon?" he said lowly.

"That little shit head snake of yours is now _mine_ ," the pudgy man hissed. The men flanking him didn't look like they were going to take any funny business from Zhou Mi so the chinese man nodded, his mind whirling.

"Very well, I'll wish you luck then," Zhou Mi said, walking on stiff legs towards the balcony. The match below had just ended, good timing. Turning on the microphone, Zhou Mi took a steadying breath and lifted it to his mouth. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please? Due to unforseen circumstances, the second match of the day will be delayed. KyuHyun, please return to the commissioner's box."

Well, that wasn't good. KyuHyun hadn't expected to be called back, swearing quietly as he turned off his mic. He slid down the side of the stone pillar he commentated from, running back to the referee's side door. From there he made his way back up to the commissioner's office, heart racing by the time he got there.

Taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, he knocked on the door and opened it. The smell of three humans that weren't Zhou Mi reached him. "You wanted to see me, sir?" 

Zhou Mi met KyuHyun's eyes, a small flicker of a smile in the corner of his lips. "KyuHyun, I'm being removed from office and all of my personal possesions stripped from me. I'm sorry, but you are now the property of the new commissioner, Commissioner Kang. _Don't protest, just nod and accept_ ," he said, the last sentence in Mandarin. " _I'm sorry, this will be over soon_."

"Yah, I think they're talking in code!" Commissioner Kang said, and Zhou Mi was grabbed by both arms by the two strong men, pushing him towards the door.

Eyes widening slightly, KyuHyun had to stop himself from rattling in anger at how Zhou Mi was handled. Jaw clenching and unclenching, he bowed his head and stepped away from the door. "Yes sir." He watched from beneath his bangs as Zhou Mi passed him, escorted forcefully out of the office. 

"Good riddance," Commissioner Kang grumbled when the door was closed, Zhou Mi gone. "Now _snake_ ," the man hissed, looking to KyuHyun. "I'm sure your old master was a soft hearted idiot but make no mistake slave, I won't have any of that. You won't speak unless I give you permission. You will do exactly as I tell you and I will not tolerate any kinds of mistakes."

KyuHyun's eyes flashed sapphire and he smirked; years ago, he would have been intimidated by a human like this. But the KyuHyun from the breeding house and the KyuHyun now were two very different snakes. "No speaking unless I have permission? I don't understand, even if it's important, I'm not to speak? That would be harmful to your health, master, I could be trying to warn you about an oncoming car or something." 

"I did not give you permission to speak!" The new commissioner roared. "Do not mistake me you worthless little shit, I don't care if you live or die. Master Jung seems to think I need to keep you alive to keep the spectators happy but I don't care. Accidents can happen if you're not careful."

"You misunderstand me sir, I merely wish to understand how my new master wants me to behave," KyuHyun said smoothly, unaffected by the shout. "Serving you to the best of my ability requires a deep understanding of your character. For example, you smell strongly of rabbit, does this mean my new master can't get a girlfriend?" 

Kang's eyes darkened and he strode towards KyuHyun. "It means I use slaves as they're intended," he said lowly. "Maybe I'll take Master Jung's advice, and take a snake as a challenge. He says it's thrilling, and I've always wanted to break a snake."

KyuHyun met Kang's eyes levelly, chin lifted. "That would entirely depend on how often you like treating snake bites, _master_." 

"Like I would take that risk, I'll have your jaw wired shut," Kang sneered. "Get down to the arena and do your job, snake."

"Of course sir," KyuHyun replied, bowing mockingly before escaping the room. He might have to call that man master for the next little while, but he was going to show the new commissioner he was far from a broken slave. Even if it earned him bruises and lashes, he was going to hold onto the freedom of speech Zhou Mi had given him.

It was a long, tiring day in the arena. KyuHyun was pleasantly surprised to see the fighters had noticed something was wrong, and were forming their own sort of silent protest to Zhou Mi's removal. There were no deaths that day, the fighters putting on a show with very little major injuries to show for it. KyuHyun could tell in the brief moment he returned to the commissioner's box at lunch time that Commissioner Kang was pissed. Let him be.

The lack of deaths gave KyuHyun time to think about his next biggest problem; how he was going to pass on Zhou Mi's suitcase to Han Geng, if he now belonged to Commissioner Kang. Han Geng wouldn't be able to see him directly. Thinking about it, he remembered KiBum; KiBum was working with Han Geng in the senate, and would have direct contact with him. He would also be able to pass on to Zhou Mi that the briefcase had made it to Geng safely.

But how to get the briefcase to KiBum?

Heading to the fighter's wing at the end of the day (he couldn't care less about being late reporting in to the asshole upstairs), KyuHyun gathered together DongHae, SungMin and HyukJae to talk about what was going on. At the same time, he brought the briefcase and drew SungMin slightly aside.

"I need to get this to the younger Kim brother," he said lowly to the Kim fighter. SungMin nodded, ears perked up listening. "But I can't leave the colosseum, what's the best way to get this to KiBum?"

"I…I'm not sure, it's not like I can leave either," SungMin frowned, looking around the cafeteria. He smiled and waved at someone over KyuHyun's shoulder. "Hey, RyeoWook!" KyuHyun turned around to see a rat and a rooster who were passing through. 

Ears flickering, the rat glanced around until he saw who was saying his name. Snagging the rooster's collar before he got too far, RyeoWook walked closer. "...Yeah?" He looked anxious, glancing around nervously. "What's up?"

SungMin waited until RyeoWook was beside them, KyuHyun frowning slightly at the nerves he could smell coming from the rat. "We've got something that needs to get to KiBum," SungMin said, keeping an eye out for security. "Could you bring it to his hotel room?" 

"...For KiBum?" RyeoWook was clearly puzzled. "I... well no. Master Kim disowned KiBum, he's not at the hotel anymore. I don't know where he is."

"…What?" KyuHyun blinked. Well, crap, there was something else going wrong. Why would KiBum have been disowned? "It's important this gets to him," he scowled a little.

"Actually…I saw him on our way here." The rooster piped up hesitantly. "He was with the protestors outside." 

"... Okay, I guess he's with the protestors," RyeoWook sighed, making a face at YeSung. "What is it we need to give him?"

"This." KyuHyun held out the briefcase. "Tell him it's for Geng."

"Geng who?" YeSung asked, taking the briefcase.

"Just tell him," KyuHyun huffed. 

"Alright, alright," RyeoWook said, holding his hands up in defeat. "We'll do it, no problem." His brow furrowed a little. "Does this have to do with Zhou Mi?"

"So they know upstairs he's been removed as commissioner?" KyuHyun sighed. "It doesn't matter if this is to do with him or not. Worry about your own master; he should have enough to deal with right about now," he looked at RyeoWook. 

"Yeah, I am," RyeoWook nodded, his expression hardening. "We'll get this delivered, not a problem. You be careful though... I'd rather not be in your shoes right now."

"That would make two of us, but oh well," KyuHyun snorted, shaking his head. He watched YeSung pull RyeoWook away, the two of them leaving.

"I'm not sure where's worse right now," SungMin said quietly. "Down here, or topside."

Shaking his head, KyuHyun turned to go back to the table where DongHae and HyukJae were waiting. "Come on, we've got stuff to plan." SungMin joined him, the snake hopping up onto the table. "Okay, who's not with us still?"

"We've got almost everyone by now," DongHae replied, the dog chewing on his thumb as he thought. "Even HyunJoong and JungMin came around, I'm sure that's mostly thanks to the threat of Master Jung being back in charge of his house."

"At least that was good for something," KyuHyun grumbled, listening as HyukJae launched into a summary of what had been happening in the fighters' quarters. 

 

************************************37

 

While KyuHyun and the fighters plotted their next steps, Zhou Mi was trying to figure out his own. Once he had been escorted from the building, he'd lost the people who had been following him in the crowd of protestors. It didn't take much time for him to find KiBum and SooHyun in the crowd, the goat willingly giving up his hoodie to help disguise the man.

"Your brother really disowned you?" Zhou Mi asked KiBum, hunching his shoulders a little and keeping his head down. It was hard to hear anything over the protestors but it seemed he had missed quite a bit.

KiBum nodded, sticking close to Zhou Mi and scanning the crowd for possible dangers. He held onto SooHyun's hand to avoid losing the goat in the crowd. "Yeah. I figured since there's not much I can do to make him hate me even more, I might as well be out here. Who's replaced you?" he frowned, looking at the Chinese man. "One of Master Jung's cronies?" 

"In a manner of speaking," Zhou mi nodded. "The man that I replaced, Kang HoDong, it was his son. I had met him only briefly a handful of times. The years have not been kind to him and he has his father's disposition. If anyone was as cruel as Master Jung, it would have been Kang HoDong and I don't think the apple fell far from the tree."

Lips thinning, KiBum nodded. "And KyuHyun? He's still going to be referee?" He asked. 

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Zhou Mi said, sighing a little. "I truly hope so, the crowd loves him, but it's out of my hands."

"KiBum!" A voice called over the crowd, and Zhou Mi shied away, putting a few people between himself and KiBum. He could see YunHo's rat and rooster pushing their way through the crowd.

Looking around in confusion, KiBum saw RyeoWook and YeSung making their way over. "…Wookie?" He hadn't thought he'd be noticed in the crowd so soon. "Hey, what's going on?" he asked when the two Signs were closer; RyeoWook was never far from YunHo's side, why would they be over here? 

"Don't ask where it came from," RyeoWook said, pushing a briefcase towards him. "This needs to go to Geng. I was told you'd know what that meant?"

Slightly confused, KiBum looked down at the briefcase as he took it. "Uh…yeah, I'll make sure he gets this," he nodded, wanting to ask but keeping the question to himself. "Thanks…is…everything okay in there?" he asked the rat quietly, brow furrowed in worry. 

"I don't know how much you get told out here, but Zhou Mi's out and Master Jung has some asshole in his place," RyeoWook said. "Master has YoungSaeng in hiding and we're doing our best just to keep out of the line of fire right now. It's not going to be safe if you're found out here too..." RyeoWook stepped closer, his eyes wide. "KiBum... I've overheard Master Jung talking before, he knows you're friends with YoungSaeng. If he finds you, he'll try to get you to say you know where he is."

Eyes widening slightly, KiBum shook his head. "He won't find me, and it's not like I know where Saeng hyung is anyways," he said, leaning in so there were less chances of being overheard. "I'll be fine with the protestors. Wook, I know you've got a lot on your back right now…could you just, keep an eye on HyungJoon for me?" 

"I'm doing my best, but he's got KyuJong and they haven't even been to the arena since KyuJong's last fight," RyeoWook said. "Just... be careful KiBum. That man has destroyed enough lives already, and he could even go after Master HyungJoon if he sees you out here."

"I know," KiBum nodded, exhaling slowly. He knew the risks he was taking with this, both to himself and to HyungJoon. Even if HyungJoon hated him, he wouldn't let this affect his brother.

"You be careful too, Wook," KiBum pulled RyeoWook into a tight hug. "You and YeSung both." 

"I'm a rat, I survive," RyeoWook said, returning the hug hesitantly. When he pulled away, he took YeSung's hand and pulled him back into the mass of protestors.

"What was that about?" Zhou Mi rejoined them, drawing the hoodie further up.

"I'm not entirely sure, I'm supposed to pass this on to Han Geng," KiBum blinked, looking down at the briefcase he was holding. He looked up at Zhou Mi. "I should go do that now before senate lets out." 

"... Ah," Zhou Mi's lips curled a little and he nodded. "I'll find Kevin then and he will take me back to the apartment. We'll meet you and SooHyun there... we've got some thing we need to discuss."

"Yeah," KiBum nodded. "See you there." He found SooHyun's hand again, turning to head out of the crowd towards the bus lanes. "You doing okay?" He looked back at his boyfriend. 

"Yes... everything seems to be happening so quickly," SooHyun said, holding onto KiBum's hand tightly. "I still can't believe Zhou Mi is no longer commissioner..."

"Me neither," KiBum sighed, eyes scanning the area to make sure they weren't being followed. "We'll get through this though, all of us." They had to.

They reached senate just as everyone inside was leaving. Han Geng was frowning as KiBum handed him the briefcase, but thanked KiBum anyways. There were dark circles under the senator's eyes; recent events were taking a toll on all of them.

Going back to the apartment, KiBum and SooHyun took a slightly roundabout way just in case, though KiBum was sure there was no chance they were being followed. There was just no more taking chances where they couldn't afford it. Finally arriving at the apartment, he sighed in relief once the door was closed behind them. 

"Oh thank god," Kevin, who was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "I was expecting you two back a while ago and thought you guys got nabbed or something." Carrying two mugs of tea, he brought one over to Zhou Mi who was seated on the couch.

"Everything went well?" Zhou Mi asked, accepting the mug with a thank you. "You delivered the briefcase to Geng?"

"Yeah," KiBum nodded, kicking off his shoes and walking into the sitting area. "He's got it. No idea what was in it though, or who RyeoWook would have gotten it from. You both didn't have any problems getting here?" 

"No, made sure we weren't followed," Kevin said, sitting down in a chair. "I don't think anyone recognized Zhou Mi either. What briefcase?"

"It's probably best if we don't mention the briefcase again," Zhou Mi said, softly blowing on the tea. "Now we need to discuss plans, because even though I'm here, things are still in motion. The revolt is still happening during the final match. We need to be ready."

"How's that going to work with the new commissioner, though?" KiBum frowned, slowly sitting down and tugging SooHyun to sit with him. "If he's like Master Jung, he's going to be twisting the revolt against the fighters." 

Zhou Mi frowned at that lacing his fingers together. "Remember how I told you Senator Han Geng was introducing legislation for Sign rights? The first piece he's introduced deals with Sign rights and equal protection under the law. Signs won't be able to be killed anymore for looking at their master funny. That is what they were voting on today when you dropped that briefcase off to him. If all went well, and he said it would, then it has already passed. It doesn't matter what this idiot does as gaming commissioner, he won't have the law to back him up."

KiBum's shoulders slumped in relief at that. At least something was going well. "We've got enough protestors to keep the police from getting close to the fighters," he looked at Kevin. "And that isn't even counting Ewha's Women's University, are they going to be with us for the final match?" 

"Yeah, maybe earlier," Kevin nodded. "Some classes are even getting out earlier because of how big the tournament is this year, _everyone_ wants a ticket." He frowned though, leaning back. "I don't know how I feel about putting people in harms way though KiBum... I mean I'd do it in a heartbeat but no one out there signed up for that."

Chewing his lower lip, KiBum sighed quietly. "I know…it's not like we can make it known there's going to be a revolt happening, there would be no way of hiding it from security. The police won't be firing on civilians at least, tear gas might be the worst of it." He pushed one hand through his hair. "Is there anything we can do to make sure no one gets hurt?" He looked at Zhou Mi. 

"There are no guarantees I'm afraid," Zhou Mi said quietly. "KyuHyun has worked closely with the fighters and the few who are leading this are very strong and respected. They were... picked because I thought they would help us keep the majority of all the fighters in line and to minimize any injuries or fatalities. But I don't think there's anything anyone outside of the fighters who can do anything."

"…" KiBum could tell the Chinese man was overly stressed when his Hangul turned inside-out. "Maybe you should be getting some rest," he frowned. "We're ready for the revolt, as ready as we can be. The point is to make a statement, not to cause a massive riot." 

"... No, KiBum," Zhou Mi shook his head. "The point of this _is_ a riot. One big enough that everyone will hear about it. We could have made a statement by having the fighters refuse to fight or other, less dangerous actions. We _want_ a riot, and that's what it's going to be."

"But we're going to be keeping it controlled, as best as we can," KiBum frowned. 

"Yes, that is the plan," Zhou Mi nodded. "I didn't say it was the best plan KiBum, but we needed something more than just talk. Conversations have brought us this far, but you know from experience that a true demonstration is better than any conversation. Do you think you had have had as big of a following if you hadn't gone to the breeding house? Doing this is like showing everyone in the city the inside of that breeding house, and how terrible their lives are."

"I know that." KiBum leaned back, fingers curling around SooHyun's. "This is something people need to see, or else everyone's just going to keep plugging their ears to what's happening and nothing's going to get better." 

"Exactly... I wish it could go differently, I really do, I don't want anyone hurt," Zhou Mi said, closing his eyes. "I fear for KuiXian now though... he's right in harm's way."

"Why isn't he here too?" KiBum frowned. "Is he staying somewhere else while you're in hiding?" 

"He was supposed to stay with Geng until this was over," Zhou Mi said. "But... they seized my property and now that... _ass_ has him. I should have seen that coming, I promised I would always protect him and when it mattered most I couldn't."

Eyes widening slightly, KiBum looked at SooHyun beside him before looking back at Zhou Mi. "You're going to get him back though," he said quietly. "When the revolt happens, there's no way that guy's gonna stay in charge." 

"No, that doesn't mean..." Zhou Mi shook his head. "It's not something I want to particularly think about right now. I don't want to imagine what's happening to KuiXian right now. I know he can take care of himself but I still worry."

KiBum nodded slowly in understanding. He didn't know what he would do if it was SooHyun in the same position, and at the thought of it his grip on SooHyun's hand tightened. He couldn't even try to assure Mi that KyuHyun was okay, because there was no way of knowing and Zhou Mi knew that. "Is there anything either of us can do, Zhou Mi?" 

"At the moment no, a lot is riding on KuiXian right now, as well as other people," Zhou Mi said, shaking his head. "Tell me... what has been going on with you?"

"You pretty-much know everything," KiBum sighed. "We've been keeping busy though," he looked at SooHyun and Kevin with a tired smile. "Kev's been doing an amazing job, I don't think we'd have even a quarter of the amount of protestors if it weren't for him." 

"Yes, I am quite impressed with that," Zhou Mi nodded. "I don't know if I would have felt half as comfortable with this plan if there hadn't been as many protestors. It makes me feel better knowing the next generation is so willing to take up a good cause."

"Yeah, some more than others though," Kevin said, smiling wryly. "Some just use it as an excuse to get out of class. Speaking of which though, I need to get back. Things are really tense down there right now and someone has to keep them from going out of control."

"Should I go with?" KiBum blinked, worried about Kevin's safety. "Where's that friend of yours?" 

"He's still there, I didn't think it was wise to involve him any of this just yet," Kevin said, getting to his feet. "I'll be fine KiBum, it's not a far walk over there and there's always plenty of people I know heading to the arena."

"As long as you're sure," KiBum frowned, watching him. "Be careful, Kev." 

"I'll be back later, and I'll bring dinner home with me," Kevin said, waving as he went out the door.

"Your friend is one of the bravest people I know," Zhou Mi said. "He doesn't have a personal stake in any of this, but willingly puts himself out there."

"I know," KiBum nodded, watching the door close. "He's even been getting death threats, but nothing's stopped him…he really believes in this. I think even without the club, he would have gone ahead to make changes in the slave industry after graduating." 

"He's someone I'd like to get to know better once all of this over with," Zhou Mi said, smiling a little.

"I'm sure he'd love that, he speaks very highly of both you and Han Geng," KiBum chuckled. "I think you're role models to him, with everything you've both done." 

"I don't know how Geng would feel about being someone's role model," Zhou Mi chuckled. "Considering none of this was his idea, I'm so grateful for everything Geng has done... he didn't really ask for this. I didn't give him much of a choice."

"He seems to look up to you, or at least has never voiced any sort of displeasure around me," KiBum smiled. 

"He has no reason to look up to me, and he's not the type to complain about anything," Zhou Mi said, lips quirking a little as he looked away. "Nor is one to accept gratitude or thanks. I owe him so much KiBum... none of this would be possible if it hadn't been for him. I'll always be an idealist, but he was the one who put it into perspective for me, made it possible."

"How so?" KiBum blinked. He really didn't know that much about Zhou Mi, KyuHyun or Han Geng (or HeeChul, as rarely as he saw the rooster). That and talking seemed to help keep Zhou Mi's mind off of his very stressful situation a little. 

"When Geng and I met, I had just brought KuiXian home," Zhou Mi said. "We would talk for hours about Signs and Sign's rights. Everything I believed, he believed, and he would challenge my thoughts on things. He prompted me to go on a very long trek of self discovery, to find out things I hadn't even considered about myelf."

KiBum's lips quirked slightly. "You've both been through a lot," he said quietly. "And you've done so much to change how Signs are treated in Korea. It's kind of amazing." 

"Seeing KuiXian happy, and one day see him free, that's the only thing I truly care about," Zhou Mi said. "There were so many times I almost gave up, just for his safety and happiness. I was very close to deciding to stay in America when we went there. Just because it was so... wonderful."

"It is," KiBum smiled, nodding. He definitely understood that feeling. "Do you think with time, Korea can really be like that too?" 

"It could... and I really want it to be," Zhou Mi said, his expression falling a little. "I just want to be able to love KuiXian openly, without worrying who will see or overhear us. I want to be able to marry him, so people don't assume he's just a bedwarmer because he sleeps in my bed. I've done everything for him... and I... I'm so afraid I'm going to lose him..." His words choked off as he closed his eyes and pressed his lips together. He couldn't help the tears that slipped out.

Biting his lower lip, KiBum squeezed SooHyun's hand before letting go of his boyfriend, going to sit beside Zhou Mi. "We'll get him back," he said quietly, resting his hand against Zhou Mi's back. "Very, very soon." 

Zhou Mi couldn't respond for a long while, rubbing at his eyes as he drew his knees up to his chest. When he finally could, he opened his eyes and rubbed at his forehead. "I should have given him his freedom when I had the chance, but he wouldn't let me. If I had, he would be safe right now. That damn snake... so headstrong... I knew it from the beginning when he laughed. Everyone else was silent, but _he_ laughed." He looked up at KiBum with wide red rimmed eyes. "We've never spent more than a night apart, I don't know what he's going to do without me."

KiBum shook his head, not sure what to say. What was there to say? "KyuHyun's strong…if anyone can make it through this, he can," he said firmly. "Just a few days left, then all this will be over, and you can give him his freedom then, right?" 

"It's all I've ever wanted," Zhou Mi nodded, looking away again. "Where can I sleep? I... it's been a long day already and I just want to lay down."

"Uh…you can take our bed, SooHyun and I will take the couch?" KiBum looked up at SooHyun to make sure that was okay. 

SooHyun nodded, looking a little harried at how upset Zhou Mi was. He had never seen the commissioner like this before, having though the man was unflappable. "Of course."

"I don't feel right, it's your bed," Zhou Mi shook his head, rubbing at his eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm kind of a mess right now. I've tried to be so strong for KuiXian... it just... kind of came out."

"That's okay…we understand," KiBum smiled. "And don't worry about it, just get some rest. Should we wake you up when Kevin comes back with food later?" 

"If I'm not awake already," Zhou Mi nodded, slowly getting to his feet. "Thank you KiBum... I know I've said it before, but you have been indispensible through all this."

The younger man's lips quirked slightly to one side. "Glad to help I guess. Rest well." 

SooHyun got to his feet, showing Zhou Mi the way to his and KiBum's room. When the door was closed, SooHyun returned to KiBum, ears drooped. "I do hope KyuHyun will be okay," he said, keeping his voice low.

"I hope so too," KiBum sighed, holding his hands out to SooHyun for the goat to join him. "I wish there was something we could do to help…to at least make sure he'll be okay, or check on him, or something." 

"I don't know what we could do," SooHyun replied, joining him. "We can't go in the arena and he never comes out."

"I know," KiBum rested his head against SooHyun's shoulder and closing his eyes. "It was just wishful thinking." 

"I think the only way we can help now, is continue with the plan," SooHyun said. "That's what KyuHyun would want."

"I know," KiBum repeated quietly. They would have to do their best to keep everything under control, despite all the problems occurring the closer they got to the day of the revolt. He could only keep hoping that nothing else would go wrong, and they'd all get out of this in one piece. 

*******************38

The first night without KyuHyun had been terrible. Zhou Mi had tossed and turned, only catching snatches of sleep. He was jolted awake every time he heard a noise outside the door, terrified that Master Jung had somehow found him. The day after proved to be not much better. KiBum and Kevin had gone to the protests, leaving Zhou Mi alone with SooHyun at the apartment. If anything, the goat was more on edge that he was, shrieking when when Zhou Mi accidentally dropped a plate.

It was decided after that fiasco that Zhou Mi would go to the protests with KiBum, despite the young human's protests. Zhou Mi couldn't stand the idea of being so far away from the arena, and from KyuHyun. If sleeping alone at night was bad, having to watch KyuHyun on the monitors was going to be even worse. 

It was only the third morning since Zhou Mi had been ousted, and it felt like it had been a lifetime. All he wanted, was to see KyuHyun and make sure he was okay.

Inside the colosseum, KyuHyun was warily approaching the commissioner's box. He'd been summoned to collect the list of fighters for the day, and just wanted to grab the list and go. He'd spent as much time down in the fighters' wing as he could, avoiding being around his new master. The man made him sick.

He missed Zhou Mi, missed his loud laughs and silly, overly sentimental smiles. At least he could be sure that Zhou Mi was somewhere safe…he hoped. If Zhou Mi was in trouble out there, KyuHyun couldn't protect him.

He just hoped the revolt would go well and Zhou Mi would get his position back. The snake might be able to hide from Commissioner Kang while the tournament was still underway, saved in part by the lack of replacement referee, but if he was still under the man's 'care' after the season was over…he wasn't sure he'd last a month.

At least he'd managed to rescue his spare inhaler from inside the desk before it could be discovered. He didn't want his asthma known; Kang would be sure to use it against him somehow.

Stopping outside of the office, KyuHyun looked at the assistant sitting behind a desk in the lobby. She looked just as stressed out as he felt, avoiding looking at the snake. KyuHyun's lips thinned and he knocked on the door, waiting a moment before pushing it open. 

Commissioner Kang was seated at the desk, frowning at the piles of paperwork that had piled up around him. It seemed like he didn't know what he was supposed to do with it all, poking at one of the folers when KyuHyun came in. He looked up, eyes narrowed. "There you are, I summoned you half an hour ago." Getting to his feet, Kang picked up a file from the top of one of the stacks and shoved it out to him. "Here's the list, and the new rule changes. Make sure you familiarize yourself with them, you'll need to know this before the first match."

KyuHyun walked to the desk, eyes narrowing slightly. Rule changes? The file being shoved at him fell off the desk and onto the floor, KyuHyun crouching to pick up the papers that had spilled out.

He straightened, looking down at the one on top of the messy pile. The new rule changes…

Reading the first line, the snakes eyes widened. " _What?!_ " He looked up at Kang, expression shocked. "All third-tier matches ending in a death? Are you _mad_?!" 

"Don't you dare raise your voice to me!" Kang snarled. "I will make whatever rules I wish, _I_ am the commissioner now!"

"Yeah, a fucking _moron_ of a commissioner! You kill off all the best fighters and soon there won't _be_ a tournament anymore!" KyuHyun snapped back. "Even your daddy won't be able to save you then!" 

The sound that came out of Commissioner Kang's throat at that was not much different from a wounded animal, and he lunged around the desk to get at KyuHyun. "Don't you say a fucking _word_ about my father!" Raising his fist, he swung at KyuHyun, backhanding him across the face. "My father was the greatest commissioner the games ever saw!"

Staggering, KyuHyun managed not to bite his lip this time. He rattled lowly in his throat, eyes flashing; while he might hiss for any number of reasons, he rattled only when he was really pissed. "Yeah, and that's why the shareholders kicked him off, he was so great he couldn't even fill half the stands. I was there when they replaced him, and let me tell you, he wasn't the greatest of anything." 

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" Kang roared, arm sweeping the paperwork off his desk. "You know nothing about my father! That chinese asshole ruined him and now I'm going to make him pay!"

"Doubt that," KyuHyun said, slowly backing away to the door with the lists in his hands. "You're going to fail just like him, and just like him, you're gonna do it all by yourself." The snake took off right after that, not sticking around to see the result of his words. Sparing the assistant outside a tense smile (she looked mildly terrified now), KyuHyun took off in a light jog towards the lower levels.

Once he was in the referee room, he stopped and looked down at the list in his hands. Anger boiled under his skin, and he ripped the paper in two before dropping it on the ground. No, he wasn't going to follow through with what that asshole wanted.

 _Sorry, Mi, we can't wait any longer._ The revolt was starting now. And thinking of how to signal that to the fighters, KyuHyun thought about HyunJoong and JungMin. The two who were in love, who would never fight if it meant killing the other in a death match. The snake smirked; it didn't matter who was on that list to fight first, because he was making his own list.

"…Is it starting?" KiBum frowned, holding onto SooHyun's hand as they looked up at the large screen outside the colosseum. It displayed static, before switching to a view of the commissioner's box. 

Rather than KyuHyun starting things off, the new commissioner was standing at the railing of his box, microphone in hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please," the man said gruffly. "A new rule has been passed effective immediately. All third tier rounds must end with the death of the opponent. Any fighter that refuses, will be punished accordingly."

There was an obvious sound of shock that rose up not only amongst the protestors, but inside the arena as well, the microphones picking it up. Zhou Mi felt like the ground beneath him had opened and swallowed him whole. "KiBum... get Kevin," he said, his hand resting on KiBum's shoulder. This was going to end badly.

Eyes just as wide, KiBum turned and hurried through the crowd to get to Kevin in the middle, pulling SooHyun with him. The protestors were getting agitated at the news, shouting louder than before.

Reaching Kevin, KiBum looked back just in time to see KyuHyun taking his place on top of the platform. The snake was sporting a bruise along his jaw, eyes dark.

" _May the first set of fighters come forward,_ " KyuHyun's voice rang from the speakers. " _HyunJoong the tiger, and JungMin the dragon!_ " 

Zhou Mi's eyes narrowed when he saw the bruise, and if he was a tiger his hackles would be up. That asshole had touched KyuHyun, hurt him. He would rip the man limb from limb. Nothing else mattered at that point, not the revolt, not anyone else around them.

By the time KiBum and Kevin returned, the arena gate was opening. The tiger and dragon were coming out together and approaching KyuHyun on the platform. A hush fell over the crowd inside and outside, everyone curious to see what they would do. 

Head up, ears out, the tiger raised his voice enough to be picked up by the camera microphones. "We refuse to fight," he said clearly, taking the dragon's hand in his own. "And you can tell that asshole I said so."

The smirk on KyuHyun's lips was pure mischief, and KiBum knew what the snake was going to do even before he did it. Turning around to face the commissioner's box, KyuHyun yelled as loud as he could. " _YAH_ , ASSHOLE! They refuse to fight!" 

The camera switched to the commissioner standing there fuming. "Then all _three_ of you shall be executed," he hissed through the microphone. "Guards! Apprehend them! This tournament hasn't seen a proper execution in a long time."

The reaction outside was instantaneous, shouts going up as people started to push. KiBum pulled SooHyun closer, wide eyes on the screen. Guards were rushing into the arena, heading for the three Signs in the middle.

"We're done dying for you!" JungMin's loud voice rang out before KyuHyun leapt up and stomped both feet hard into the platform he was on. Slabs of stone burst out of the ground on either side of the guards approaching, trapping them. 

The moment things exploded, Zhou Mi rounded on Kevin and KiBum, trying to keep them together. "Listen!" he said, getting their attention. "Whatever happens, keep the fighters in the street, do not let them get out into the city! They know you're on their side, but don't let the hurt anyone!"

"What about you?" Kevin asked, nearly stumbling when someone knocked into his shoulder.

"I have to find KuiXian and get my job back!" Zhou Mi said with a grin, patting their arms and ducking away. He was lost in the crowd within minutes. Having been commissioner for as long as he had, he knew all the ways into the building. Especially ones that the fighters wouldn't be pouring out of like the main doors. Once inside though, he would have to make it up to the top level to get to the commissioner's office without using any of the lifts as they probably weren't in service anymore. He just hoped KyuHyun would find him quickly.

KiBum lost sight of Zhou Mi quickly, looking back at Kevin. "We need to get between security and the fighters! We still have some time before the fighters get out here, let's set up a barricade!" He could hear sirens approaching over the chaos; they wouldn't have long before police and riot squads got here. 

The only word that SooHyun knew that could describe what was going on around them was chaos. Mere seconds after KiBum and Kevin had started yelling to get people organized, the main arena doors burst open. Humans and Signs came pouring out like ants out of an anthill, the humans doing their best to get away.

With some help from a few of the fighters who seemed to be acting like wranglers, a three person deep line was formed of protestors around the Signs. SooHyun could see a few of the fighters were attempting to break free but quickly pushed back in by a dog. People were screaming and running every which way, but the crowd soon parted for police vehicles. SooHyun was more than a little worried as KiBum had positioned himself right in front, right in harm's way. He didn't see where Kevin had gone, but could hear his voice on a megaphone from somewhere.

Heart racing, KiBum watched the riot police approaching, bellowing for the protestors to move. He couldn't tell if the adrenaline rush was from excitement or pure fear. Probably somewhere in the middle, and he made sure there was no room between him and the person beside him for someone to pass.

The police were right across from them now, KiBum lifting his chin even as a gun was leveled at his head. "Stay with me?" he heard himself ask, hand finding SooHyun's. 

"Wasn't planning on going anywhere," SooHyun said, taking KiBum's hand and holding it tightly. It was tense, beyond anything that SooHyun had ever felt before. Police were shouting, fighters were pushing on them from behind and any second the protestors could be shot down. 

A familiar voice reached SooHyun's ears from somewhere beyond the police, and his ears flicked up at that as he looked right at where HyungJoon and KyuJong were being pushed back by a police officer. "KiBum, look," he nudged him.

Tearing his eyes away from the officer with the gun, KiBum looked to the side and his eyes widened. HyungJoon. " _Hyung!_ " he yelled, his voice getting lost in the crowd. Why was HyungJoon out here, why wasn't he getting somewhere safe?

The ground rumbled and bucked beneath them, a fighter breaking through the line of protestors and lifting the ground up from under a police vehicle. Gun shots rang out over their heads, the riot police rushing the protestors as more fighters broke through.

Pain exploded, and KiBum blacked out for a split second. When his vision returned, hazy and doubled, he was on the ground. Someone tripped over his legs, but it barely registered as he gasped for breath. 

"No!" SooHyun was down on his knees, protecting KiBum with his body as people shoved and fell around him. He had to get KiBum out of there, to a hospital, he couldn't lost KiBum like this. He barely registered HyungJoon crawling over to them.

"KiBum? KiBum!" HyungJoon was at SooHyun's shoulder, eyes wide.

Eyes closing, KiBum forced them open again at his brother's voice. Everything was going dim, but he could just barely make out HyungJoon's face.

"Hyung," he whispered, before HyungJoon's face faded into darkness. 

*****************************************39

Inside the arena, Zhou Mi had finally got to the top floor, panting a little at having to climb so many stairs. He needed to work out more if a few flights would wind him like that. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he exited the stairwell and started for his office. _His_ office. With any luck the little weasel hadn't left yet.

Jogging down the hallway, KyuHyun struggled to keep his breathing under control. Now was not the time for an attack. "What are we even _doing_?" Asked JungMin behind him, the dragon following with HyunJoong.

"Getting control back," KyuHyun answered, sparing them a glance before looking forward. A familiar lanky figure was leaving the stairwell, taking the corner, and he ran faster. "Yah, wait up!" he shouted, catching up with Zhou Mi around the corner. 

Relief swept through Zhou Mi as he stopped and looked over his shoulder. He wanted to wrap KyuHyun up in his arms and never let him go. But he had to focus, there was still too much to be done. "I'm very cross with you KuiXian, I wasn't ready for that. You're just lucky I was paying attention," he said, allowing himself a flicker of a smile. He barely noticed the two Signs that were with him.

"Yeah, well, they were going to start revolting anyways, that's what happens when stupid people get the idea of pissing off a bunch of angry fighters." KyuHyun skidded to a stop next to Zhou Mi, panting. He returned Zhou Mi's small smile, relief in his face. "I brought backup." 

"I'm not sure that will be necessary," Zhou Mi said, eyeing the two fighters. "I've already called the shareholders. They are not pleased at all, and no one can find Master Jung so they're reversing the decision as long as I can get the fighters under control."

"Guess we're sticking around for the show," JungMin commented, hand in HyunJoong's.

"Let's go then." While they'd been talking, KyuHyun had regained his breath. The snake slipped around in front of Zhou Mi, hurrying up the stairs. "I'll go first in case someone tries to put a bullet between your eyes," he called over his shoulder. 

"Please be careful, KuiXian," Zhou Mi sighed, following after him. He didn't want to lose him all over again now that they were back together.

At the top of the stairs was the reception area, the poor receptionist looking absolutely terrified. Her eyes widened when she saw Zhou Mi, and she got to her feet. "He's still in there sir, he's locked the door."

"Thank, you should probably get out of here now," Zhou Mi told her gently, watching the girl take off. "Open the door KuiXian."

"The nice way, or the hard way?" KyuHyun pressed both hands to the door over the lock, brow furrowing. He couldn't warp the metal and break the lock, but the wall it was attached to was another matter. Concentrating, he was rewarded by a crunching noise and the door opened without resistance.

He heard the click of a gun the same time HyunJoong did. "Get down!" the tiger hissed behind him, KyuHyun hitting the ground hard as the gun fired, missing.

"Get out of my office!" Kang wasn't giving up without a fight.

"He's got a gun," HyunJoong scowled, glancing at JungMin. "I can't get close enough, deal with him."

"Why _me_ , you're the metal elementalist," JungMin huffed before suddenly shifting into full dragon, his clothes tearing. If it were any other time but now, KyuHyun would have been crying-laughing at the pony-sized dragon JungMin was. The snake rolled out of the way and JungMin darted past him into the office on all fours.

There was a gunshot and scream from the man inside, then a thump and a string of curses. KyuHyun poked his head into the room, seeing the dragon sitting on top of the commissioner, gun tossed to a corner of the room and the hatchling growling in the man's face. 

"That's why," HyunJoong chuckled in reply to JungMin, as he helped Zhou Mi back up to his feet after having pushed him over. Zhou Mi appreciated that he hadn't been shot, but he didn't like being knocked over. 

"Well then, thank you," Zhou Mi said, dusting off his shirt and following them into the room. "I'm sorry to say, but the shareholders don't think you're being as affective as they hoped you would be," he said, leaning over JungMin's shoulder and peering at the man on the floor. "They have a message for you. You're fired. If I could get you two to take out the trash, I have some fighters to wrangle."

Kang continued to spew obscenities until JungMin blew smoke in his face to shut him up. The hatchling climbed off the human, gripping the front of Kang's shirt with sharp fangs and dragging.

"I think he needs a little help there," KyuHyun rolled his eyes, maneuvering around them to get back beside Zhou Mi. His arm brushed against Zhou Mi's lightly.

"You're going to burn him alive," HyunJoong sighed, pulling the man up to his feet. Taking another coin out of his pocket, he wrapped the metal around the man's wrists, cuffing them together. "Where are we taking him?" 

"Outside, the fighters can deal with him," Zhou Mi said, frowning at the mess on top of his desk. "KuiXian, I'm going to want to make an announcement, can you get that arranged for me?"

"Let's go scales for brains, I'd like to know where our masters have gone too," HyunJoong said, pushing the trussed up man in front of him to start walking. As soon as they had left the room, Zhou Mi let out a heavy sigh of relief and pulled KyuHyun into a tight hug.

"I was so... so worried," he whispered, squeezing the life out of the snake.

Wincing at the tight grip, KyuHyun returned the hug. The snake buried his nose in Zhou Mi's shoulder and inhaled deeply. "Me too," he murmured, running his hand along Zhou Mi's back. "Let's not ever do that again, deal?" 

"Deal," Zhou Mi nodded, turning his head enough to kiss the side of KyuHyun's head before finally pulling back. He brought up a hand to trace over the bruise on KyuHyun's jaw. "I should have him torn to pieces for this... did he hurt you?"

"Not that much, I didn't give him much opportunity," KyuHyun smirked a little, pulling Zhou Mi's hand away from the bruise before leaning up and kissing Zhou Mi softly. "There's only one person I've ever called master, and it sure as hell isn't him." 

"As far as I'm concerned, you'll never call anyone master ever again," Zhou Mi replied. "The laws passed the senate, Geng did it. I'll have to get a hold of him and have him come down here... Need to have a meeting with the house owners." He pulled back, taking a deep breath. "First thing's first. We need to get those fighters off the street and back into the collosseum. I'll want to speak to them, and then the house owners."

"Okay," KyuHyun nodded, straightening. "I'll go down there, make sure they listen." He could hear the chaos from outside was slowly quietening. Squeezing Zhou Mi's shoulders, he stepped back. "I'll meet you back inside?" 

"Yeah... I love you KuiXian," Zhou Mi said, allowing himself a real smile for the first time in days. "Be careful out there."

"Love you too," KyuHyun chuckled, lips quirking before he turned and left the commissioner's office. He set out in a light jog back down to ground level.

By the time he got outside, the fighters and protestors had subdued a lot of the police. There were sirens in the distance, either more police on their way or ambulances. Looking around, KyuHyun could see people injured, human and Sign alike. Hopefully there weren't too many deaths.

There was only one staff member left that Zhou Mi could find, but it was enough for the two of them to get the recording equipment and microphones back up and running. When the green light on the camera came on, the staffer nodded and Zhou Mi smiled at the camera. Hopefully KyuHyun was in place by then.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention. The fighting must stop, all fighters need to return to the arena. House masters, I require your presence in the general admission stands. KuiXian?"

Waiting by the colosseum entrance, KyuHyun stomped a foot into the ground and lifted himself up on a stone pillar. He could see the fighters turning to look at him as he came into view. "Fighters, please proceed to the arena," he said into his microphone which he'd somehow managed to keep a hold on through the chaos. "Allow for emergency crews to arrive and take care of the injured. Any injured fighters will be seen to by medical crew in the arena. Can police officials please join the house masters in the general admission stands. No violence will be tolerated."

He could hear murmurs of discontent, some of the fighters inching back. DongHae was making his way to the entrance, smiling despite one arm being visibly broken. He gave KyuHyun a nod.

"Everyone inside!" HyunJoong's voice hollered over the crowd, KyuHyun looking and finding the tiger not far away. "If KyuHyun says it's okay, then it's okay."

Smiling, KyuHyun stayed up on his pillar where he could see easier, keeping an eye on the fighters. DongHae was ushering people inside near the entrance, SungMin and HyukJae dropping back to keep anyone from running off. As the fighters headed inside, ambulances were finally able to pull up and paramedics tend to the injured humans lying around the streets.

Once all the fighters were in, KyuHyun hopped off his pillar and followed DongHae, SungMin and HyukJae inside. The arena inside was crowded, fighters milling around.

"Go get that arm looked at," KyuHyun said to DongHae before searching for Zhou Mi. 

The arena floor and been partially covered to allow for the fighers to stand on solid ground, Zhou Mi talking quietly to two staffers off the to the side His expression was grim and he kept glancing towards a corner of the arena before he noticed KyuHyun. Nodding politely to the workers, he met KyuHyun halfway. "Master Jung is dead," he said quietly, continuing towards where the fighters were all waiting.

Blinking, KyuHyun wanted to say 'good riddance' but figured that wasn't the appropriate reaction to someone's death, and Zhou Mi wouldn't appreciate it. "What happened, did one of the fighters get to him?" He followed along beside Zhou Mi. 

"He fell from his balcony," Zhou Mi said. "They're reviewing the security tapes and will get back to me." Approaching the fighters, he climbed up onto one of the jutting rocks and held up his hands for silence. "Afternoon, thank you for joining me," he said, smiling at them all. "It has been a very long day for all of us, but I want to assure you that you have been heard. The callous actions of a misguided man will be rectified, I promise. There will be no more deaths in the tournaments."

KyuHyun stood beside the rock (more to make sure Zhou Mi wasn't going to fall than anything), looking around at all the Signs looking at them. There were still grumblings through the crowd, some of the fighters looking at each other.

"No deaths, ever?" Asked a small rat fighter standing off to the side away from the bigger Signs, clutching his tail in both hands. "Next year too?" 

"Never again," Zhou Mi said, smiling down at the rat. "You should be the first to know that Senate has just passed laws giving Sign's rights. No more deaths, no more abuse at the hands of masters. No more dying in the ring... Or fighting if you don't want to. Soon... you'll even have your freedom."

Shocked noises erupted at that, some fighters not believing it and others wanting more information. KyuHyun listened to them for a minute before raising his voice. "Be quiet," he shouted, the same time DongHae called from the back, "Shut up and let the man talk!"

The fighters fell silent again. "That law, that just passed, that's giving us freedom?" Asked HyukJae, the monkey sitting up on a rock not far away to see Zhou Mi clearly over the rows of fighters. 

"Unfortunately no, the laws just passed guaranteed protections to all Signs," Zhou Mi said. "I will be able to explain more when I have more information. A representative from the senate will be here shortly and I can have him explain more in detail. Abolishing slavery is the next step... and it's a step I for one will not give up on."

"Our masters, they're going to punish us for this," the rat fighter said quietly.

"No, the Games Commissioner just said that's what the new law's going to protect you against," KyuHyun said, shaking his head. "You don't have to worry about that."

"What happens now?" asked someone else. 

"Now I need to talk to the house masters and inform them of the changes," Zhou Mi said. "Go back to the fighter wing, get cleaned up, something to eat. I promise, nothing will happen to you. Please trust me, I'm doing everything in my power to make sure you all stay safe."

KyuHyun watched as the fighters slowly started to leave, those injured going first so they could head to the infirmary. SungMin ushered people back out of the arena, sending Zhou Mi a smile over his shoulder before disappearing through the gates.

"One down, one to go," KyuHyun sighed, kicking the side of the stone Zhou Mi was on and forcing a step to protrude from it. "Before you slip off and break something." 

"Always looking out for me," Zhou Mi said, using KyuHyun's shoulder for stability as he climbed down. "I'm not looking forward to this next one."

"Geng should be here soon, so you'll have backup," KyuHyun waited for Zhou Mi to get off the rock before moving towards the closest doors, the referee entrance. "And me too, even if I can't snipe at those people like the fighters." 

"No, but don't feel like you have to hold your tongue completely," Zhou Mi said. "KuiXian... Before the house masters get here, would you do me a favor? Go find Kevin and KiBum if you can... see how things are faring for them out there?"

"Yeah, okay," KyuHyun nodded. "Kevin's the blond one with the megaphone, right?" He'd never actually met Kevin himself. Reaching the referee's room, he closed the door after them and spared a moment to pull Zhou Mi into a kiss. 

Zhou Mi returned the kiss, his hands at KyuHyun's waist holding him tightly. As much as he really wanted to pull KyuHyun down to the bed and make up for the night missed, there was too much to do. Finally pulling away, his lips quirked a little. "I think we'll have to save that for later... meet me up in general admission seats soon as you can. I'll begin when Geng gets here."

"I'll be right there," KyuHyun returned the smile. He turned and left the room, headed back out to the streets. He would be glad when all the running around is over.

Leaving the colosseum, KyuHyun looked around the protestors left outside with the police. Those with serious injuries had already been carried off by ambulances, paramedics still around checking those remaining. He couldn't see KiBum or SooHyun anywhere, but after searching the grounds he did find a kid with bright blond hair.

Approaching, KyuHyun stopped beside him. "You're Kevin, right?" 

Straightening from where he was helping an injured protestor, Kevin nodded. "Yeah... KyuHyun right? Everything okay in there? It's going to be a while before this mess is sorted out here."

"Everything's good, all things considered," KyuHyun nodded, looking around the area. "Zhou Mi will be talking to the house masters in a few minutes, but he wanted to know how things are out here with you and KiBum. Not too many people injured, I hope?" 

"Not... too many," Kevin said, chewing on his lip. "KiBum though... he got hit. I don't know all the details but he got shot in the head, and they took him to the hospital. I don't know if he's okay."

KyuHyun's eyes widened. "Oh…I'll let Zhou Mi know. If you hear anything about him, let us know, I don't think we're going to be leaving the area for a while. Are the police giving you a hard time? Zhou Mi should be talking to them the same time as the house masters." 

"No, they're more concerned with making sure the hurt people are taken care of," Kevin said. "I think they're more at a loss as to what happened here than anybody. I guess that's a good thing. I need to get back to work, there's so many people injured... if I find out anything about KiBum I'll let you know."

"Okay, good luck," KyuHyun nodded, stepping away. He turned and headed back towards the entrance at a brisk walk. As he was entering the colosseum, he saw YunHo and YoungSaeng heading the same way. Their expressions were solemn, and slightly shocked. Sparing YunHo a tight smile when the human met his eyes, KyuHyun turned away and sped up when he saw Zhou Mi up ahead. There was no sign of their senator yet.

*********************************40

Ten minutes later, Han Geng appeared, slightly out of breath. He must have hurried here upon hearing what was going on. Skirting around the edge of the group, he approached Zhou Mi with a relieved smile and reached out to take the other Chinese man's hand. " _I'm glad you're okay,_ " he said in quiet Mandarin. 

" _Me too_ ," Zhou Mi replied. " _We did it Geng_." Letting go of Han Geng's hand, he turned to the house masters. "Thank you for joining me, I wanted to have a quick word with you all. What happened here today was unfortunate, but a long time coming as I'm sure most of you are aware. I had stated my position on this matter many times to the senate, as with each year the fighters were becoming more and more agitated."

"Signs are mad every year, no excuse for attacking humans," one of the men said, scowling at Zhou Mi. "You've been too lenient with them Zhou Mi, that's why this happened, and it was _your_ snake that instigated it."

"Ah... no, KyuHyun had just relayed what the fighters told him, to the acting commissioner," Zhou Mi said, bright smile still in place. "But if the rules hadn't been changed, then there would have been no problem. If I hadn't been removed from my position, this definitely would not have happened. I have always run a fair tournament, but even I could tell something needed to change."

"Stricter rules need to be set, and protestors discouraged," one of the other house masters said.

"Instead of fighting against them, why don't we just look at what _they_ are saying?" YunHo's voice carried, KyuHyun looking towards the younger Jung. One of YunHo's arms was around YoungSaeng, keeping the snake close. "They made it clear they don't want any other fighters to die. That's how all this started, changing the rules so one of the fighters was guaranteed to die. Why can't we change the rules so there is no death penalty, and no deaths during the tournaments?"

"Ludicrous," one of the other house masters scoffed. "People come here to watch these animals die. That's what they are bred for." 

"Master YunHo has a fair point," Zhou Mi said, his lips thinned at the last statement. Freeing slaves was going to be a lot easier than changing peoples views on Signs. "I have spoken in front of senate meetings before about changing the rules of the games, and the idea has caught on amongst the politicians," he motioned Han Geng. "Our representative is here from the senate to get an idea of what has gone on here, and how to fix this before it happens again."

"What should happen," the more outspoken of the master's said, crossing his arms, "is we make sure those that started this get put down before they give any ideas to the rest of our stocks."

"That is _not_ going to happen," Han Geng said firmly. "The senate has already cleared a provision on sign rights. It probably won't be long before slavery is abolished."

That sent ripples of unease through those gathered. "Abolished? But this is our living! Do you mean to shut the tournaments down?" cried out one.

"The tournament can continue without slaves, if the fighters are willing to stay in the profession," YunHo said calmly. "But they will definitely not be inclined to stay if their lives are seen as meaningless and disposable. I know several fighters who see this as their way of life, and something they'd stay in if they were guaranteed a measure of safety." 

"Yes, a measure of safety," Zhou Mi nodded. "That I think is something that the fighters can agree with, as well as the masters. You put a lot of money into training and housing the fighters, and sometimes you don't earn that back if a fighter is killed off too quickly. This way, you can make money off of them not only by placing bets, but by charging the freed signs for room and board."

"And how exactly would they be paying for room and board?" one of the masters asked in confusion.

"Oh, you'd pay them of course," Han Geng said, chuckling at the reaction that earned. "They would get a cut of the bets, which you could set up in a contract with them."

"All of this can be discussed later, the point is," Zhou Mi said, raising his hands to quiet the group. "The point is, the way things are now, they can't continue. Signs outnumber humans two to one, and they are very dangerous with their elements. A single uprising may not mean much now, but it won't stop there once word gets out across the country."

"They had control over the area too," one of the smaller houses' master brought up from the side. "The army might have been able to fight them back with reinforcements, but at what price? If not dying in tournaments is all they want for now, that's better than the alternative."

"Yes, and keep in mind that while there were a number of injuries, very few fatalities," Zhou Mi said, his eyes moving around the crowd until he found YunHo's. One of the few deaths had been the man's father. "They could have slaughtered everyone in the stands quite easily, but they didn't. I hope you all remember that. This meeting was not to get your opinion or vote on the matter, just to make you aware of what _will_ happen."

"Zhou Mi is correct... many of these wheels were already in motion, though there were a couple of... stumbling blocks," the senator said. "We all want the games to continue, but not at anyone elses expense, not any more."

"What about our personal slaves? Are they to be freed as well?" another man asked, leaning forward a little.

"Eventually, all slaves will be free," Han Geng nodded.

"What of the rest of the tournament?" someone asked. "The remaining matches, will they be finished?" 

"I doubt any of the fighters would willingly step in the arena again right now," Zhou Mi said, shaking his head. "I think it would be best if we... delayed the final matches a few weeks. Finalize the new rules and come back with the final four for the end of the tournament. There are far too many investors to pull out completely. Does that seem fair?" There were a few grumbles of discontent from the talkers, but the decision was agreed-upon.

Listening to them talking, KyuHyun frowned as he remembered the concern of the fighters, about being punished by their masters despite the laws. He leaned over to Zhou Mi, so he could whisper into the human's ear. "They need to know they can't hurt any of the fighters over this, when do those laws start working?" 

Listening, Zhou Mi nodded and patted the snakes hand, looking at the masters again with a frown before turning to the senator. "The new law for signs rights will go into effect when?" He knew the answer, but hearing it from someone in a position of real power would go a lot farther than it would hearing it from him.

"Next month, but there are a few provisions that start tomorrow," Han Geng, blinking a little. "One of those being any punishment above a lashing must go through the courts. Execution of slaves without due process is now defined as manslaughter. There was to be a general announcement about the new law after the games had finished." Seeing the reaction that got, KyuHyun relaxed slightly.

A few more points were brought up and discussed, the house masters expressing concerns and questions. Then the group slowly began to disperse, leaving the colosseum. Watching the house masters go, KyuHyun's eyes went to YunHo as he approached with YoungSaeng. 

"My father is dead," he said quietly. "He fell over the railing during the uprising." 

Zhou Mi's eyes softened and he smiled sadly at the young master, inclining his head. "I know, an unfortunate accident," he said politely, motioning for YunHo to take a walk with him. There were questions he needed answered about what had happened, though he doubted he would get real answers. By the way YoungSaeng was clinging to YunHo, he already had ideas about what had really happened. "KuiXian, can you take the senator to my office please?"

Nodding, KyuHyun bowed to Han Geng. "Please follow me." He turned to head back to the stairs, Han Geng following me.

" _You know you didn't have to bow,_ " Han Geng huffed in Mandarin when they were away from the others.

" _Keeping appearances,_ " KyuHyun hummed, and Han Geng eyed the snake, knowing he was being messed with.

Arriving at the office, KyuHyun closed the door after Han Geng. "Hey HeeChul," he saw the rooster lounging on a couch. The office was still in a state of disorganization. 

Not saying a word, HeeChul got to his feet, approaching KyuHyun with a frown. He looked the snake up and down before pulling him into a hug.

Surprised, KyuHyun blinked a little before he hugged HeeChul back, smiling. "Come on hyung, I wasn't gone _that_ long," he chuckled quietly. 

"No, but that doesn't mean I can't be worried about you," HeeChul grumbled, pulling back. "I'm glad you're okay. You and stick legs both. Who else is going to get me good liquor when you go on vacations?"

"Guess you'd just have to get it yourself," KyuHyun grinned, shoulders relaxed as he looked between HeeChul and Han Geng. He was really glad to see them both. "Zhou Mi won't be long, he's talking with YunHo."

"Commissioner Kang really did a number on this place," Han Geng mused, looking around the room.

"He did, this is going to take forever to get organized again." Shaking his head, KyuHyun went to start picking up the mess from the floor. "You didn't have any problems getting in?" 

"Not really, Geng brought some of his own security people," HeeChul said, retaking his seat on the couch. "It looked like there was a war on the streets... kind of sad I missed the actions. Wasn't the same watching it on the screen."

"You should be glad you missed it," KyuHyun sighed. "A lot of people were injured…not as much as we thought there would be, but still." He placed a stack of paper back on the desk, frowning at the food crumbs and coffee stains. He went to get a cloth to clean it up. "And I'm sure a couple fighters managed to sneak off in the chaos." 

"They probably won't get far," HeeChul said. "Or maybe they'll just disappear. Things are kind of up in the air right now."

"Yeah," KyuHyun nodded, focusing on what he was doing for a minute before looking up at Han Geng. "That bill for Sign rights really passed?"

"It did," Han Geng smiled widely, sitting down next to HeeChul and resting his hand against the rooster's knee. "Next one will be for abolishing slavery completely. Removing hospital segregation, getting Signs into the school system, finding proper housing for those in the breeding house…it sounds exciting doesn't it?" 

"And overwhelming," Zhou Mi said, coming in the door. "It's going to take a long time before Signs truly have equality, but we're taking the right steps." Closing the door behind him as best he could (someone had broken the handle), he went to his desk to sit down in his chair. There was a brief flicker of a content smile, happy to be back where he belonged. 

"I think it's going to take more time for Signs to really process this than it will for humans," HeeChul said, touching the collar at his neck. "We've been slaves for generations."

"But we can start somewhere," Han Geng smiled at HeeChul. "Time will make it easier for everyone."

"In the meantime, we've got a bunch of disgruntled house masters to deal with." KyuHyun cleared a space on the desk before hopping up to sit on the edge. "They'll get over it. Is YunHo okay, Mi?" 

"He seemed... sad, which is understandable," Zhou Mi nodded. "But honestly what happened was for the best, and I think a part of him knows that."

"What happened?" HeeChul raised an eyebrow.

"Master Jung had an unfortunate accident," Zhou Mi replied. "He fell from the balcony of his viewing box, died on impact."

"Oh," Han Geng frowned. "That is very unfortunate." Master Jung had been a despicable man who had threatened them several times over, and would have destroyed his own son to get his house back, but a death was still a death. After all the death in the tournament, one more casualty was one too many.

"Oh…Mi," KyuHyun turned to face Zhou Mi. "I spoke with Kevin outside. The paramedics are still looking over the protestors who were injured. He said KiBum was shot in the head, and taken to hospital." 

Zhou Mi's eyes widened at that, his jaw dropping. "He... oh no..." Zhou Mi visibly deflated at that, leaning back in his chair, absolutely stunned. "Oh... KiBum." Covering his face with his hands, he tried his hardest to get his composure back. Of all the people that could have been hurt, KiBum wasn't supposed to be one of them. "KuiXian, can you have my secretary get a hold of the hospital and find out his condition?"

"Yeah," KyuHyun nodded, pushing off the desk and leaving the office.

"I hope he's okay," Han Geng murmured, eyes bleak. A shot to the head left very little room for error.

KyuHyun returned a few minutes later, eyes lowered. "He hasn't come out of emergency yet, the hospital worker wasn't giving details. Apparently his brother's there waiting too." 

"I want updates every hour," Zhou Mi said, trying to pull himself together. There was so much left to do, he couldn't focus on KiBum right now as much as he wanted to. "...What is all of this?" he finally looked at the piles of folders on his desk, frowning at them. "Did that guy even do anything while he was here? This is going to take a week to sort out."

KyuHyun leaned out of the office to relay Zhou Mi's instructions to the secretary. "I'll help you," Han Geng sighed, standing to look at the folders. "It will take you forever to do all this by yourself."

"The only thing he seemed good at was making a mess," KyuHyun commented, walking back to the desk. "There'll be the press to deal with too." 

"They're all lined up outside the door aren't they?" Zhou Mi sighed. "One thing at a time. Get this organized, hold a press conference, call the shareholders, and then maybe get some sleep."

"With the three of us working, it'll go faster," KyuHyun said, picking up one of the folders to go through. "You need some food at some point too, before the press conference so you don't faint." Han Geng chuckled at KyuHyun's tone that said he wasn't going to take no for an answer. 

"... Then go and order us some lunch if you're going to be like that," Zhou Mi said, making a face at him. "Geng... you and HeeChul don't have to stay here, I'm sure there are other things you need to be doing right now."

"Probably, but I haven't seen you in days and there's just as much to do here," Han Geng smiled at Zhou Mi as KyuHyun huffed before leaving the room. "HeeChul will just be bored for a couple hours, you should have brought a book or something," he chuckled, looking at HeeChul. 

"Excuse you, what are you implying?" HeeChul scowled. "I could help if I wanted to but I'm pretty sure I'd just get in the way. Besides, I'm not going to get bored if I get to look at your butt the whole time."

"Fine, as long as you're entertained," Han Geng chuckled, shaking his head as he looked back at the desk. "Tell me what needs to be done first." 

Zhou Mi looked between them with a small smile. "Absolutely nothing. When KuiXian gets back, we'll open get a bottle of wine and drink to our success."

"I like that plan," HeeChul perked up.

"Of course you do," Han Geng smiled softly at the rooster, shaking his head.

They did have that bottle of wine (and almost finished it), lunch showing up some time later. Getting some of the mess cleaned up before the press conference, they headed down to meet the media. KyuHyun stood beside Zhou Mi through all the questions, silent support and comforted in the fact that he wouldn't have to stay silent for much longer.

Han Geng left after the conference, so Zhou Mi could focus his attention on calling the shareholders. He was just finishing when word finally returned from the hospital; KiBum was out of emergency but was still in intensive care, in a coma after the bullet cracked part of his skull. His condition was stable, thankfully…all that was left was to wait for him to wake up.

It was dark outside by the time the taxi finally pulled up outside the apartment complex. Breathing in the cool night air as he climbed out onto the sidewalk, KyuHyun looked back at Zhou Mi. "You look like you could sleep for a couple months," he mused, holding onto the human's suitcase. 

"I don't know if I'll be able to do that for a while yet," Zhou Mi sighed, trudging towards the door. "It will be good to sleep in my own bed though. As much as I appreciated KiBum letting me stay in his and SooHyun's bed, it was far too short."

"I think that's just your long stick legs," KyuHyun smirked, walking beside Zhou Mi and opening the door for the human. "Long sleep for tonight, we'll deal with tomorrow when it comes. Just don't fall asleep in the lift, I'm not carrying you all the way to bed." He'd probably hit Zhou Mi's head on something. 

"Ah what a caring boyfriend I have," Zhou Mi chuckled. He was still a little tipsy from the wine. "Can we just... stay in bed for another month? I don't want to deal with responsibilities for a very long time."

"You know I'd say yes, but then a couple days into it you'd start whining at me at how I could let you do something like that," KyuHyun replied, watching Zhou Mi sway back and forth. He got the lift gate open, making sure Zhou Mi was inside before closing it and pressing the button for their floor. "You're not going to be sick, are you?" 

"I only had a couple glasses of wine, I'm not drunk," Zhou Mi made a face at him. "I'm just... delightfully tipsy. Everything is wonderful and nothing could make today any more perfect, except for maybe you, naked." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Well that's not a stretch, though you probably mean not in the lift huh," KyuHyun smirked, leaning in and pressing a kiss to Zhou Mi's lips. "Does that mean you're going to be naked too?" 

"Would only be fair," Zhou Mi replied, nibbling at KyuHyun's bottom lip. Hearing the gate to the lift open again, he put an arm around KyuHyun's waist and pulled him out into the hallway. "I've missed you, so much. You're not allowed to be away from me for that long again."

"It wasn't by choice," KyuHyun wrinkled his nose, following beside Zhou Mi and keeping the older man steady as they headed down to their apartment. "And I don't think either of us want that to happen again." 

"Never ever again," Zhou Mi said, his tone very serious. Pulling out his keys, he managed to get the door unlocked without too much trouble and stepped in, breathing in the air. "Looks like he didn't get around to ransacking the place, which is good." Turning around, he took KyuHyun by the front of his shirt and pulled him in, shutting the door behind him. "I can't decide if I'd rather strip you right here or drag you upstairs first," he murmured, nuzzling his nose into KyuHyun's neck.

Hissing lowly, KyuHyun's arms went around the human's waist, crushing them together. "You're not making it very easy to go anywhere." He pressed a kiss against the side of Zhou Mi's head, one hand slipping under the back of his shirt. 

"Was kind of the point," Zhou Mi chuckled, pressing kisses to KyuHyun's neck. He was working his way down when he was stopped by the collar. Pulling back, he frowned down at it. Things all around the city were changing, Signs had protections now and soon they would have their freedom. There would be no need for collars, even ornamental ones like KyuHyun's soft leather one. "I think it's time for this to go," he said, looking into KyuHyun's eyes as he lifted his hands up to undo the buckle. When he pulled it away, he handed it to the snake. "Throw it away."

Blinking repeatedly at the weight leaving his neck, KyuHyun looked from the collar to Zhou Mi, not understanding what Zhou Mi was saying. "But…for tomorrow, I'll need this," he frowned, looking down at the collar in his hand. 

"No, KuiXian," Zhou Mi shook his head. "You aren't wearing it anymore. Not for those people out there. I'm not hiding us anymore, we're together, you're my boyfriend and I love you. You're not my slave, not after today." Going to the kitchen, he picked up the wastebasket and brought it back, holding it out to him. "No more collars."

KyuHyun had a faint sense of deja vu, remembering the last time Zhou Mi had told him to throw a collar away. He hadn't really understood back then either, but the sound of the harsh metal collar hitting the bottom of the wastebasket had been one of the most satisfying noises he'd ever heard. Was this really it? Zhou Mi was freeing him?

Looking down at the collar in his hand, the collar he'd worn for the past six years, KyuHyun reached out and dropped it into the wastebasket. The soft leather made less of a noise than the metal collar had, but it sounded louder to him.

Sapphire eyes lifted from the collar sitting on top of trash to meet Zhou Mi's. "I'm free?" 

"Maybe not technically yet, but to me, you are," Zhou Mi said, smiling softly at him. "I've wanted to do this for so long, so ashamed of myself for owning a slave... feeling guilty that I was sleeping with someone that was considered my property. After everything that has happened, I want to make sure no one can ever take you from me again."

"No…never again." KyuHyun stepped forward, taking the wastebasket away and placing it down. His eyes never left Zhou Mi's. "You aren't worried about what they'll say out there? I'm still a snake, and you're the games commissioner." 

"No, I don't care one bit," Zhou Mi said, resting his hands on KyuHyun's hips. "I love you, and that is what matters to me. If I'm fired because of it, then so be it. I did what I set out to do, and that was to help Signs and end the brutality of the games."

Lips curling in a smile, KyuHyun chuckled as he wrapped his arms securely around Zhou Mi's waist. "You're a strange human, have I said that before?" But that was okay, because it was Zhou Mi's quirks and different points of view that had made the snake fall in love with him. 

"I believe you have," Zhou Mi replied. "And I'm perfectly okay with that since it led me to you." Pulling KyuHyun a little closer he pressed their lips together in a lingering kiss as he backed them towards the stairs. He had to keep himself in check, fighting between throwing KyuHyun down right there on the floor and bringing them up to their bed to be comfortable. Comfort did win out of course, because Zhou Mi wanted this to be special for them both, and last as long as they had the stamina for.

It wasn't until much later, Zhou Mi sprawled out contently on the bedspread with KyuHyun wrapped around him that he allowed himself a real moment to think. He had woken up that morning alone, missing KyuHyun so badly that he had thrown caution to the wind just to get close enough to catch a glimpse of him. In the end it had been the right move, because if he hadn't been there to take control of the situation there was no way to know how much destruction and mayhem the fighters would have caused.

So many years of work and dedicated had gone into what they had accomplished that day, though he wasn't going to take any of the credit for it. Not when it was Han Geng who had worked tirelessly with the senate to create laws that would better the lives of Signs across the country. The man had taken his love and devotion for a single Sign and turned it into a driving force. Maybe Zhou Mi had given him a little push along the way, but the real accomplishment was all Han Geng.

It was also true for KiBum. When Zhou Mi had first met the younger man, he wasn't entirely sure what to make of him. A member of one of the most noticeable fighting houses in the country, eager to know more about Signs and Sign rights. It wasn't until he had witnessed the cruelty first hand that he made a decision, forming what would surely be destined to failure, a club for Sign rights. In such a small amount of time he had created a huge network of people, all advocating for the same thing. Like with Han Geng, all Zhou Mi had done was give him a nudge in the right direction.

When all of this began, Zhou Mi had told KyuHyun he wasn't going to take any of the credit, and he couldn't. Not when the true revolutionaries were his friends, and even his boyfriend. KyuHyun, the most visible representation of the games had done the impossible and organized the fighters into doing something unimaginable. They had risen up, shouted defiance in the face of insurmountable odds and made themselves heard. And they did it without killing anyone, proving to everyone they weren't mindless animals, but just wanted to be treated as equals.

Running his hand lightly over the scales down KyuHyun's back, Zhou Mi smiled in spite of himself. Maybe he hadn't done everything correctly, and risked people's lives along the way, but he wasn't going to regret a single one of those choices. Not when the end result was he could tell the world he was in love with a snake and not fear the repurcussions of it.

It had been a long, hard fought battle, and Zhou Mi was weary to the bone. Looking back at the road they had taken to get there, he knew it was worth it.

 

**************************************************epilogue

 

A loud shout from outside his bedroom window interrupted KiBum's train of thought as he tried to think of what to write to Henry. Placing the pad of paper back down on the bedsheets, he blinked at the window. From his position sitting up in bed, he could see what was going on; JungMin was dive-bombing random fighters on the Jung's side of the field. Scenes like this, the fighters playing around instead of focusing on training, were slowly becoming more common as the weather turned colder and snow began to fall.

Seeing JungMin get a hold of SungMin's arms and lift the shrieking dog up off the ground, KiBum laughed quietly and looked at SooHyun with a smile. "I guess they're finished lessons for today." It hadn't taken YunHo very long to set up tutoring sessions a couple times a week to teach the freed Signs how to read, write and do basic math. 

"Earlier than usual," SooHyun nodded, his nose twitching a little. KyuJong had brought up flowers from the garden to decorate KiBum's room, and SooHyun was doing his very best not to attack one of the vases next to where he was seated. "How's the letter going?"

"It's…not," KiBum wrinkled his nose in frustration. He fumbled with the pencil, pressing the tip to the paper. "He's not going to be able to read my handwriting, and send me back a letter teasing me about it, I know it already." 

"You could always dictate it to someone," SooHyun said. "Maybe KyuJong could do it for you... I'm a long way from being able to do that still."

"Hey, at least you can say your handwriting's better than mine," KiBum snorted. Writing out a word, the pencil tip skidded across the paper and he gave up, placing the paper and pencil beside him. "Nevermind, I'll write it later. What do you want to do now? Besides eat those flowers." 

SooHyun's ears drooped a little at that. "Are you hungry? I could get us something to eat... Or maybe you want to go outside?"

"Outside would be nice," KiBum perked up at that. "While it's not blizzarding for once. Maybe go see what the others are doing?" He was still on bed rest after being released from the hospital finally, but there was only so much sitting in bed he could do before he started going stir-crazy. SooHyun had been supportive through it all, helping KiBum do silly things like button clothes and walk straight as he recovered his lost motor skills. KiBum honestly didn't know what he'd do without his boyfriend, or his brother who checked in on him regularly and took time to play games with them when KiBum was bored.

He was just pushing the blankets off his legs when there was a knock on the door. KyuJong stuck his head into the bedroom, one long floppy ear dangling over his shoulder. "KiBum? You have a visitor."

"…A visitor?" KiBum blinked. "Is it Kevin?" When KyuJong shook his head, KiBum looked confused as he slid his legs out of bed to stand. 

"... I smell..." SooHyun's ears perked up, blinking a few times. He'd gotten up to help KiBum, supporting his boyfriend's side. "I smell a tiger... but it's not HyunJoong, or Xander."

When KyuJong disappeared from the door, someone unfamiliar to SooHyun came in, grinning right at KiBum. "Hey! Someone told me you were still in bed, since when did you get so lazy?"

Jaw falling open, KiBum was speechless. " _Henry_?!" His best friend stood in the doorway, like it was completely normal for the Canadian to show up at the Kim manor unannounced. 

"I got the weirdest letter a few weeks ago, from Kevin," Henry said, coming into the room. SooHyun was still sniffing at the air. There was another scent coming off of Henry. "He said you got shot while in the middle of a Sign revolution. I thought he was just making things up..." Henry seemed to notice SooHyun finally and the way his nose was twitching had SooHyun shrinking back slightly. "This must be SooHyun...?"

Still stunned that Henry was here, KiBum broke into a wide smile before nodding. "Yeah, this is SooHyun, my boyfriend. SooHyun, this is Henry, my best friend. I just…when did you get here? I didn't know you were coming!" He stepped forward, one hand still on SooHyun's arm for balance. 

"I got here last week, took me a little bit to find you way out here in the middle of nowhere," Henry said, eyes eyes tightening a little in worry. "It's nice to meet you SooHyun, KiBum's written all about you. Glad he finally found someone to keep him from going off the rails on one of his crazy schemes."

"Well..." SooHyun flushed, ducking his head a little.

Henry chuckled a little, his attention returning to KiBum. "So... you really did get shot... are you okay? Do you have a scar? Can I see it?"

"No, you can't," KiBum wrinkled his nose at his friend. The scar was hidden by his hair anyways, which was cut short now since it was still growing back on that side of his head. "I'm getting better, I have the best nurse," KiBum chuckled, nudging SooHyun lightly. "Have you been okay? I'm sorry I haven't written lately…is that Kyu out there?" He blinked, seeing a shadow in the doorway. 

"No... but it is a rabbit," Henry said, glancing over his shoulder towards the door. "What are you doing hiding out there? Come in and say hi," he said, switching to English.

Blinking at the sudden switch, KiBum's eyes widened at who walked into his room.

"I was letting you two have your moment," Amber grinned, walking past Henry to give KiBum a light hug. "Hey KiBum, you didn't visit us last summer, meat buns wouldn't stop moping."

"I'm sorry, I wanted to," KiBum laughed, hugging her back with the arm that wasn't holding onto SooHyun. "You keeping him out of trouble?" His english was rustier than he would have liked.

"Of course I am," she chuckled, pulling back. 

"Yeah... and probably will for a long while now," Henry said, rubbing at the back of his head. "I came out all this way KiBum, because there's something I wanted to tell you in person, especially after hearing everything that's happened here." He looked to Amber, nudging her a little. "Show him."

"You mean you haven't already?" Amber asked, lips quirking as she lifted up one hand. There was a silver band on her ring finger. "Tada."

"…No way," KiBum stared at them both. "When did this happen?" 

"Um... well a few months ago," Henry said sheepishly. "I wanted to tell you right away but I got kind of sidetracked with things and then I heard about what happened... I wanted to ask you to be my best man... when you're feeling up to it."

Blinking repeatedly, KiBum grinned widely. "Of course…of course! That's great, congratulations! You'll have your hands full, Amber, good luck."

Laughing, Amber stepped back to stand beside Henry.

Switching back to Korean, KiBum nudged SooHyun. "This is Amber, who is apparently Henry's fiancée now. Do I get to say 'I told you so' now?" He asked Henry. 

"No," Henry sniffed, but his hand had found Amber's and laced their fingers together.

"Uh... hello," SooHyun stuttered, the only English word he knew as he bowed to Amber in greeting.

"So we're going to be in Korea for a couple weeks, I wanted to show Amber around," Henry said, switching to Korean. "I heard about all that you did here KiBum... Seo TaeJi would be impressed."

KiBum flushed a little as Amber said hi and bowed in return. "I didn't do much…it was all Kevin running the club, and others in the gaming commission and senate. We're finally getting somewhere though…hyung said the bill to free all Signs hasn't passed yet, but most people are starting to free their slaves anyways." There wasn't a single slave left in the Kim or Jung houses, every Sign in them there of their own choice. 

"Still, _you_ started the club on your own," Henry said. "I thought you were crazy at first but... I guess you had some important people helping you out. Not like it would have stopped if you didn't but... I kind of wish I had stuck around to see it happen." He looked at Amber beside him, lips quirking a little when he looked back at KiBum. "You mind if we stick around a while and catch up? I really want to hear everything that happened."

"Of course, you think I was going to let you guys leave that easily?" KiBum chuckled, smiling widely at his best friend. "If we track Kyu down, he can get you guys a room. Did you want a tour of the place?"

"You need to teach me more Korean," Amber said, poking Henry's side. 

"Maybe if you'd stop snickering at me when I tried then I would," Henry replied, poking her back.

"You shouldn't be walking around too much," SooHyun fretted at KiBum. "I'll go find KyuJong, don't move until I get back," he said, patting KiBum's hand as he helped him to sit back down before taking off out the door.

"...Is that the same goat that I knocked over at that party the first week?" Henry asked when Soohyun had gone. "He's very twitchy."

"That's SooHyun," KiBum chuckled, pouting a little at being made to sit down. "Same goat…but not at the same time. I'm really proud of him…he's come a long way since then. Sit down, don't make me feel rude." He motioned at the chair. 

"You're injured, you're not rude," Henry said, sitting down and pulling Amber down in his lap. "So, I want to hear everything that's happened since I left. I don't think I got enough detail from your letters."

"We're gonna be here for a while then," KiBum smiled widely, making himself comfortable. He started at the beginning, that first day he'd came back from Toronto to find out who his new roommate was. Not realizing that he was about to meet the one who'd inspired him to do something against the injustice and cruelty Signs faced. The same person who would later become his boyfriend and his strongest support.

A lot had happened since Henry left, some good and some bad, but KiBum didn't dwell on the bad things anymore. His relationship with his brother was better than it had been in years, SooHyun was happy and becoming more confident each day, and the former Kim fighters were all employed (not bought) by YunHo next door. KiBum would return to the city soon he was sure, to finally be a lawyer and advocate Sign rights in his own way, but not now. Now he was going to enjoy the company of family, friends, and one very special goat. 

 

****************************

Sun, sand, an ocean, and a drink with an umbrella in it. Those were the four things that HeeChul had always wanted, because it meant a vacation. Han Geng would roll his eyes at him and retort a vacation from _what_ , but that wasn't the point. If he was on vacation, that meant Han Geng was too, and not stuck in some stuffy building wearing a suit and tie. As much as HeeChul liked seeing Geng in a suit and tie and how the slacks made his butt look so good, he liked seeing Geng like this too. Relaxed, shirtless, and lying in a beach lounger next to him. Everything about this was perfect. Well, almost.

"There's miles of sand on this beech and you have to build that thing right here next to me?" HeeChul scowled over the top of his sunglasses at KyuHyun and Zhou Mi. The two were happily digging in the sand, building a castle. As cute as it was, they were blowing sand all over HeeChul whenever a breeze rolled through.

"What's the matter, we're not bothering you," KyuHyun snorted, shaping a turret carefully with his fingers. The snake was in human form, not to avoid being seen, but because sand under his scales was very itchy and uncomfortable. "Mi, dig out that wall any more and it'll cave in." 

"You're getting sand all over me and in my drink," HeeChul said, flicking a grain of sand off of his arm. "Geng, trade seats with me."

"You already switched seats with him, you said the sun was in your eyes," Zhou Mi pointed out, up to his elbows in dirt.

"It'll be either the sun or the sand, HeeChul, you'll have to pick one," Han Geng chuckled, opening his eyes to look at the rooster. "Why did you want to vacation at a beach if you don't like sand?" 

"Because I like everything else about the beach," HeeChul replied, laying back again and pushing his sunglasses over his eyes. "Sun, ocean, that's what I like about the beach."

"I do hope you remembered to put on sunscreen HeeChul, don't want a roast chicken," Zhou Mi said, chuckling when HeeChul scowled at him. "KuiXian, I think we need more water, this wall is falling over."

"I told you it was going to do that," KyuHyun huffed, standing and grabbing a bucket before heading back to the water.

"How's the castle coming, Mi?" Han Geng asked; he couldn't see past HeeChul. 

"I think it's beautiful," Zhou Mi said, sitting down in the sand and dusting his hands off as best he could. "It's nice to be doing something constructive, even if it is just playing around in the sand... Thank you again for inviting us Geng. We really needed this vacation."

"We all did," Han Geng agreed, smiling. "It's nice not to have to worry about appointments and debates for a while."

Filling the bucket with water, KyuHyun trudged back to them. Coming up behind Zhou Mi, who was facing away from the water, he grinned and upended the bucket over the man's head before bolting. 

The shriek that Zhou Mi let out at being doused with cold water made HeeChul cover his ears. " _KuiXian!_ " Zhou Mi was on his feet and chasing after KyuHyu, limbs flailing as he ranted in Mandarin after him.

"Maybe next time you decide we should go on vacation, can we have a vacation from _them_ ," HeeChul grumbled. "Stick legs is going to give me a headache."

Han Geng laughed loudly, watching the two run along the beach. "You'd miss them after a while, admit it. But we can have some time to ourselves too this vacation." 

"We better," HeeChul said, shaking his head. "I won't admit I'd miss them, cause Zhou Mi would find out and then he'd do something silly like hug me or something. Can we have dinner just the two of us tonight? I don't need to see those two feeding each other again."

"All right," Han Geng chuckled. Seeing the other two were halfway down the beach by then, KyuHyun trying to fend off Zhou Mi by splashing him with more water, he grinned. "Let's go find a quieter place, what do you think? Before they come back this way." 

"Don't have to ask me twice," HeeChul said, sitting up and getting to his feet. "Maybe if we hurry we can go pack our things and find our own island too."

"I don't think we'd have that much time before they found us," Han Geng smiled. As he stood, he fished something out of his bag next to his chair and slipped it into his swim trunk pocket. "Want to go look at those caves?" he nodded towards the caves in the opposite direction from where KyuHyun and Zhou Mi had gone. 

HeeChul was eyeing the caves warily, but another high pitch scream had him moving. "Yes, please, before they see us and want to know what we're doing."

"They won't be able to find us there," Han Geng chuckled. His hand found HeeChul's, fingers curling together as he started towards the cave opening not that far away. 

"I hope not," HeeChul replied, eyeing the cave warily. "There had better not be bats in there."

"I'll scare them off if there are," Han Geng chuckled.

They reached the cave before Zhou Mi and KyuHyun could notice they were gone, the sand changing into cool stone under their feet. The cavern was well-lit, opening up into a spectacular view of the ocean. "This isn't that bad, is it?" Han Geng smiled, swinging their hands slowly back and forth as they walked parallel to the water. 

"I guess not," HeeChul said, though his attention was mostly on the slick stone under his feet so he didn't fall into the ocean. "You seemed to know this was here, you been here before?"

"Hm? Once, a long time ago when I was a kid. I used to like finding shells in the shallow waters in here," he nodded at the puddles that were left after the tide had receded. "This place came to mind while we were planning our vacation. Are you enjoying it so far?" 

"For the most part," HeeChul said, stopping near the edge and looking out. "This is the first time I've been outside of Korea... outside of the Seoul. It's not like anything I ever imagined."

"How did you imagine it to be?" Han Geng blinked, stopping beside HeeChul and looking out across the waters. 

"I... don't really know," HeeChul shrugged. "It's hard to imagine when you've never seen anything like it. I mean I'd seen pictures and stuff of beaches and oceans, but it's so vast. It makes you feel so insignificant."

"I wouldn't say insignificant." Han Geng wrapped one arm loosely around HeeChul's waist, drawing the rooster into his arms. "There's a lot more to the world than just Korea…I'd like to explore it with you, if you're up to it." 

HeeChul glanced up at him, the corner of his lip curled into a smirk. "What, just leave everything behind and not come back? That doesn't seem like the responsible Geng."

"…That is true," Han Geng smiled sheepishly, looking down at HeeChul. "But I don't see why we can't make these vacations a regular thing. I like seeing you happy like this." 

"I'd be a lot happier if we didn't have stick legs and scales as tag alongs," HeeChul said. "I'm happy not being stuck inside the apartment all the time... even if it doesn't always go as planned. I just... want to be with you, doesn't matter where we are."

Smiling shyly, Han Geng looked down at the rooster before stepping back, drawing HeeChul away from the edge of the stone to a safe distance. "You don't have to be stuck inside the apartment anymore…and I have something I want to ask you." 

"I'm not really stuck, I just don't feel comfortable going anywhere..." HeeChul said, blinking at him. "What?"

Han Geng took both HeeChul's hands, smiling. "It's already been a few years since I promised you that I'd be the happiest man in the world to stay with you, the rest of my life. That hasn't changed…you make me happy. I don't want anyone else in the world…human or otherwise."

Breathing in deeply, he let go of one of HeeChul's hands to pull a small box out of his pocket. Han Geng knelt on one knee, opening the box and presenting it to HeeChul. There was a brilliant diamond ring inside.

"HeeChul, would you marry me?" 

HeeChul's eyebrows went up, looking between the ring and Han Geng and back again. "....Holy... shit that's a big diamond," he said finally. Taking a deep breath, HeeChul looked into Han Geng's eyes. "You're a silly, stupid human who could have been happy with anyone because you're the nicest person I've ever met. You put up with my drinking and my temper tantrums with the patience of a saint and I will never understand why. But... I love you, and you make me very happy, so... yes." He presented his hand, wiggling his fingers a little.

A wide smile broke across Han Geng's face, expression lighting up with joy. He removed the ring from the box and slid it onto HeeChul's ring finger, kissing the back of the rooster's hand. "We'll always be together…I promise." 

"Holding you to that," HeeChul said, lifting his hand up to admire the ring, tilting his head a little. "I think it suits me. This doesn't mean I'm going to be doing the cooking and cleaning though."

Laughing at that, Han Geng stood up again. "I didn't say you would be." He pulled HeeChul close, ducking his head to kiss his rooster deeply. 

Returning the kiss happily, HeeChul wrapped his arms around Han Geng's neck. When he finally pulled away, he looked into Han Geng's eyes and chuckled. "Maybe we should head back... I need to rub something into stick leg's face."

"You're not letting that go, are you," Han Geng chuckled, shaking his head. Pressing another kiss to HeeChul's lips, he pulled back and wrapped his arm loosely around the other man's waist. "Okay, let's go. If we're lucky, they haven't drowned each other yet." 

"I don't see that as being lucky," HeeChul muttered, heading back to the mouth of the cave. "Of course I'm not letting it go, if he had been serious about being with you he would have fought for you. Plus, I still say he was the better pick, even if his legs are too skinny and his nose is too big. And he talks too much, and makes noises only dogs can hear when he's excited or sees a spider." He looked up at Han Geng with a smirk. "I won, and that makes me very happy."

Han Geng gave a small, long-suffering sigh. "I don't think he's complaining right now," he smiled at HeeChul. "And KyuHyun might say Zhou Mi's the better pick, but there's no one better than you for me." 

"Damn straight," HeeChul sniffed, his nose in the air. "It's cause I have a nicer butt isn't it?"

"Are we talking about when it's covered in feathers, or not," Han Geng grinned cheekily. 

"... Do you have a weird feather fetish and you've just never told me?" HeeChul asked, making a face at Han Geng. "If I ever find that stash of feathers you have hidden I'm throwing it away."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Han Geng said, playing the dumb foreigner card with wide eyes and an extra-thick accent. 

"There's just no talking to you sometimes," HeeChul threw up his hands in defeat, walking a little faster to get away from him.

Laughing, Han Geng quickened his pace to catch up. Thumbing the now-empty box in his hand, he smiled to himself. He was going to spend the rest of his life with this temperamental, sharp-tongued, diva of a rooster, and he couldn't have been happier.

They left the cave area to see that Zhou Mi had finally caught KyuHyun and the two were still play-fighting in the shallow waters farther up. Watching as the snake fell over into the water and took Zhou Mi down with him, Han Geng felt that everything they'd faced to get to this point was worth it. They still had a lot left to do in the city for Sign rights, including a complete overhaul of the legal, educational and gaming systems that had been in place for decades. But as long as they had a reason for continuing to fight, nothing could stand in their way.


End file.
